18/08/2026
STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH COMMISSION ON THE INCIDENT AT THE ATENEO DE ZAMBOANGA UNIVERSITY
The National Youth Commission expresses its deepest grief over the tragic loss of young lives and injuries sustained during the shooting incident at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) - Junior High School earlier today, August 18, 2026. We stand in full solidarity with the grieving families, students, educators, and the entire AdZU community.
The Commission is preparing immediate support for the affected individuals. We have opened official communication channels with the AdZU Administration to ensure seamless alignment and coordinated response efforts. In line with this, personnel from our Zamboanga Area Office and partners from the Mental Health Youth Hub are being mobilized for deployment to the campus as soon as possible. Our teams will provide peer-to-peer mental health support, trauma processing, and professional service referrals for students, families, and staff alongside AdZU’s guidance counselling team.
Schools must remain safe spaces. As we continue to advocate for stronger policy measures to enforce school safety protocols and training, and expanding mental health resources across all educational institutions, we urge Local Government Units and Sangguniang Kabataan Officials to allocate youth and local funds toward crisis preparedness and awareness programs to ensure our schools and communities are ready to respond to similar emergencies.
We appeal to the public and to our Filipino youth to refrain from sharing, reposting, or sensationalizing graphic videos, images, or unverified information, respecting the dignity of the victims and their grieving families.
Protecting our youth is a sacred and collective responsibility that belongs to us all. As we navigate this tragedy, the National Youth Commission reaffirms its commitment to being where young people need us most, ensuring that our response goes beyond words by turning our collective sorrow into meaningful action, strengthening our resolve to protect young lives, and upholding every school as a place of learning, safety, and hope.
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