Various educational institutions expressed their sympathies to those affected by the shooting in Zamboanga, emphasizing that schools must remain safe spaces.
The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) expressed solidarity with Ateneo de Zamboanga University after a school shooting left two students dead—with one of them being the shooter himself.
“The work of building safer schools requires sustained attention, cooperation, and care from educational institutions, families, government, and the wider community,” it added.
The group, composed of 197 member institutions across the country, said that the collective response should be guided by compassion, not fear.