My Personal Open Letter to All Principals in All Different Districts in the Philippines

By:Kagawad Fernando E.Delos Reyes Jr
Yapak, Boracay

Good day, Principal. I would like to respectfully share a humble concern regarding the welfare, safety, and well-being of our students at our District Schools.

In light of the previous school shooting incident and the recent school shooting incident reported here in the Philippines, I believe that it is important for us to continuously strengthen our efforts in creating a safe, compassionate, and supportive environment for every learner. These unfortunate incidents remind us that behind every student is a young person who may be carrying struggles, fears, frustrations, or problems that are not always visible to us.
I would like to emphasize the importance of strengthening our anti-bullying programs and our vigilance against any form of oppression, humiliation, intimidation, or discrimination among students. Bullying may sometimes appear to be a simple disagreement or teasing, but when repeatedly experienced, it can deeply affect a child’s confidence, emotional well-being, academic performance, and relationship with others.

Equally important is the need to ensure that the relationship between teachers and students remains grounded in respect, professionalism, fairness, and compassion. Any form of child abuse, excessive humiliation, intimidation, or inappropriate treatment—whether intentional or unintentional—should be addressed carefully and properly. Teachers have a very significant influence on the lives of their students, and our students should feel that their teachers are people whom they can approach when they are struggling.

I also respectfully suggest that we continue promoting transparency in the academic performance of our learners. When a student is failing or experiencing difficulty in a particular subject, it would be beneficial if the student and, when appropriate, the parents or guardians are clearly informed about the reasons behind the poor performance. More importantly, the student should be given an opportunity to explain his or her situation.

A failing grade should not immediately be viewed simply as a lack of effort or ability. There may be family problems, financial difficulties, bullying, emotional struggles, learning difficulties, attendance concerns, or other circumstances affecting the student’s performance. Understanding the reason behind the failure may allow the school to provide the appropriate intervention and support.

Our goal should not only be to identify students who are failing, but also to help them recover. Remedial activities, counseling, mentoring, academic interventions, parent-teacher conferences, and regular monitoring may help struggling students regain confidence and improve their performance.
I believe that prevention begins with communication. If students know that they can speak without immediately being judged, punished, embarrassed, or ignored, they may be more willing to share the problems they are experiencing before those problems become more serious.

With utmost dear Principal, I am not raising these concerns to criticize our teachers or the school. Rather, I am sharing them as a humble reminder that the safety and welfare of our children should always be among our highest priorities. As educators and members of the community, we have a shared responsibility to protect our students, listen to them, guide them, and help them recover when they encounter difficulties.

May we continue building a school where every learner feels safe, respected, heard, and valued—where mistakes and failures become opportunities for guidance and growth, and where no child feels that he or she has to face a problem alone.

Thank you very much, Dear Principal, for your dedication and service to our students and to our District Schools. I sincerely hope that these concerns may contribute to an even stronger culture of kindness, accountability, transparency, and child protection within our school community.

Respectfully and sincerely,

HON. FERNANDO E. DELOS REYES, JR.
Sangguniang Barangay Member
Barangay Yapak, Malay, Aklan

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