UST OFFICIALS are studying the installation of walk-through metal detectors and X-ray scanners in buildings as campus security is tightened following recent shooting and stabbing incidents in other schools.
Screening equipment could be placed at building lobbies where large numbers of students pass through daily, according to Assoc. Prof. Juliano Parena of the Campus Safety and Security Office (CSSO).
Parena said installing the equipment inside buildings would be more practical than placing it at campus gates, where heavy rains and flooding could damage sensitive electronics.
The hardware upgrades would require technical reviews and procurement, he added, while procedural security improvements would continue throughout the academic year.
The University has tightened identification checks, visitor screening and coordination between guards at campus gates and building posts since the start of Academic Year 2026-2027.
“We no longer view screening as just a gate activity; we’re managing the flow of people straight from the perimeter into specific building interiors,” Parena told the Varsitarian.
The strengthened measures were first implemented in the University’s basic education units before being expanded across the campus beginning Sept. 1 upon the directive of Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P.
Vehicles entering UST are also subject to verification of occupants’ credentials and purpose of entry, as well as visual inspection of their trunks. Undercarriage mirrors will also be used.
Contractors, delivery drivers and service crews are subject to stricter screening despite being authorized to enter the campus.
READ: UST eyes more safety drills amid calls for tighter school security
“These adjustments aren’t a reaction to a single incident,” Parena said.
“They reflect today’s broader security climate – from violent events in other Philippine schools and digital threats – to the sheer complexity of securing a densely populated urban campus,” he added.
Five incidents of school violence have been reported across the country since June, including shootings in Tacloban City on June 22 and Zamboanga City on Aug. 18.
Stabbing incidents were also reported in General Trias City on June 16, Cavite City in late June and Bacolod City on July 1.
“Every major incident elsewhere forces us to pause and evaluate our own setup,” Parena said.
Avoid, deny, defend
In the event of an active threat, the CSSO will immediately deploy security personnel and alert law enforcement, Parena said.
Security and police personnel will take command of affected areas, while building teams will handle notifications, lockdowns, tracking and reunification.
Parena said alerts could be issued through public-address systems, direct instructions from personnel and official campus communications, instead of relying on information circulating on social media during emergencies.
Students are being trained to make three situational choices during an active threat:
- Avoid — Move away from danger through a safe escape route.
- Deny — Secure oneself inside a classroom or office when evacuation would expose occupants to greater danger.
- Defend — Act only as an absolute last resort when confronted with imminent, life-threatening danger and escape is impossible.
The framework does not expect students to confront attackers, Parena stressed.
“Always take the safest logical choice and follow live instructions from safety officers,” he said.
Buildings will also not automatically be evacuated simply because a threat has moved to another location, Parena said, as exit routes must first be cleared before a controlled evacuation can proceed.
The UST Open Field, for instance, may be used as an assembly area only after it has been cleared and secured by incident commanders.
Preparedness drills
UST plans to conduct 26 sector-level drills after the first term preliminary examinations.
Four quadrant-level exercises and a University-wide simulation will follow during the second semester.
The exercises will be supported by training on incident command, bomb-threat response, first aid, rescue operations, emergency communications and post-incident accountability.
Unlike traditional fire and earthquake drills, the active-threat exercises will focus on decision-making, including recognizing warning signs, determining whether to evacuate or secure a room, controlling unauthorized entry and managing accountability after an incident.
“Active threat planning isn’t a new reaction from us, but recent events push us to stress-test our assumptions,” Parena said.
The University has ruled out hyper-realistic drills involving mock shooters, blank gunfire, simulated injuries and surprise scenarios.
A 2025 study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine titled “School Active Shooter Drills: Mitigating Risks to Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health” found that such simulations carry a high potential for psychological harm and should not be used in school preparedness exercises.
“Our goal is to build calm, clear-headed confidence—not panic,” Parena said.
“Students cannot truly focus on learning unless they first feel safe and secure,” he added.
