Metro Manila, Philippines – The departments of the Interior and Local Government and Education are preparing an agreement to deploy female barangay tanod or security in school grounds to help monitor campuses after a shooting in South Cotabato killed two students.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Tuesday, Sept. 22, said the agencies could finalize an agreement as early as next week.

She announced the proposal in response to the remarks of Vice President Sara Duterte that the administration had failed to protect children, adding that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. found the shooting at Banga National High School “very disturbing” and wanted the incident addressed.

A 16-year-old student shot and killed two schoolmates and wounded eight others before taking his own life, local officials said. The gun was from the suspect’s father, a DepEd employee.

Castro said the Department of Social Welfare and Development is also working on programs to help parents guide children and train school personnel to recognize warning signs in students.