DepEd orders immediate zakedown of 'hyper-realistic' school safety drill videos online

DepEd orders immediate zakedown of 'hyper-realistic' school safety drill videos online

The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued a stern directive to all public and private schools to immediately remove social media content depicting hyper-realistic and non-compliant school safety drills.

According to a Memorandum OM-OUGOPS-2026-04-03403 the department expressed concern over the circulation of videos showing human-induced threat drills that violate the agency's "trauma-informed, age-appropriate, and 'Do No Harm' protocols." DepEd emphasized that simulating extreme violence can cause unnecessary psychological distress to learners and the community.

Key Directives from the Memorandum

• Immediate Takedown: School heads are mandated to review all official platforms and delete any non-compliant photos, reels, or videos.
• Banned Elements: The directive explicitly prohibits content featuring fear-inducing tactics, simulated attackers, imitation firearms, fake casualties, and simulated gunfire.
• No Entertainment: Teaching and non-teaching personnel are strictly reminded not to turn serious safety threats into memes, jokes, social media trends, or skits.
• Strict Penalties: Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action under applicable DepEd, Civil Service, child protection, and data privacy rules.

The directive, signed by Undersecretary Malcolm S. Garma, underscores that emergency procedures should prioritize genuine safety education rather than theatrical or distressing online content.

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Full Text of the Memorandum

Republika ng Pilipinas
Department of Education
OFFICE OF THE UNDERSECRETARY FOR GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS

MEMORANDUM:
OM-OUGOPS-2026-04-03403

TO:
ALL REGIONAL DIRECTORS
ALL SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS
ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL HEADS

FROM:
MALCOLM S. GARMA
Undersecretary
Office of the Undersecretary for Governance and Operations

SUBJECT: IMMEDIATE DISCONTINUATION AND REMOVAL OF NON-COMPLIANT SCHOOL SAFETY DRILL CONTENT IN SOCIAL MEDIA

DATE: September 4, 2026

The Department of Education has noted the circulation on social media and other online platforms of videos depicting school safety drills involving human-induced threats that are inconsistent with the Department's trauma-informed, age-appropriate, and "Do No Harm" protocols.

All Regional Offices, Schools Division Offices, and schools are hereby directed to immediately discontinue the posting, sharing, or republication of drill content that depicts or promotes non-compliant practices, including fear-inducing or hyper-realistic simulation, simulated attackers, imitation firearms, simulated casualties, simulated gunfire, and similar activities.

School Heads shall immediately review content posted through official school platforms. Non-compliant videos, photographs, reels, or similar materials shall be taken down. Regional Offices and Schools Division Offices shall direct concerned schools to undertake corrective action when such content is identified.

Teaching and non-teaching personnel are likewise reminded that human-induced threats are serious safety and protection concerns and shall not be presented as memes, jokes, social media trends, skits, or other forms of entertainment. Content that trivializes violence or turns emergency procedures into entertainment undermines the purpose of school safety activities and may cause unnecessary fear, distress, or harm to learners and school communities.

Failure to comply with this Memorandum shall be dealt with in accordance with applicable DepEd, Civil Service, child protection, data privacy, and administrative rules, subject to due process.

For widest dissemination and strict compliance.