MANILA, Philippines | De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) suspended classes and work operations at its Manila campus on Thursday, October 1, following a reported security threat, prompting a campus security sweep and coordination with law enforcement.
The suspension took effect at noon and covered Benilde Manila, Benilde Senior High School and Benilde Deaf School, according to the school and its official student publication, The Benildean. The college said its Center for Emergency Management, Safety, and Security was coordinating with authorities while security personnel conducted a sweep of the campus.
Benilde said the campus, students and associates were safe and urged its community to remain calm and vigilant. It also reminded students, faculty and staff to rely on official school channels for verified information and avoid spreading unverified reports.
As of the latest reports available on October 2, authorities and the school had not publicly disclosed the specific nature or source of the reported threat. The incident should therefore be treated as a reported security concern rather than a confirmed attack.
The development came amid a series of security scares involving schools in different parts of the country. On the same day, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas in Cavite heightened security after reports of an alleged mass shooting circulated online. Police later said their investigation found no factual basis for the reported mass shooting.
Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna also suspended on-site classes on October 1 because of a security concern and shifted to synchronous online learning while authorities investigated, according to Daily Tribune. The report noted that several other school threats had been recorded nationwide in recent weeks.
The Philippine National Police had previously reported 50 school-related incidents involving children in conflict with the law between June 16 and August 19. These included alleged shooting threats, bomb threats, stabbing incidents, illegal firearm possession, death threats and actual shootings. However, those figures covered only that reporting period and do not represent a current nationwide total.
Benilde has maintained a dedicated Center for Emergency Management, Safety and Security that conducts safety inspections, emergency drills and disaster preparedness activities. The school also says it has worked with the Philippine National Police, local government units and neighboring institutions since 2003 through Task Force Safe School.
For now, Benilde’s precautionary suspension underscores the continuing security concerns facing Philippine schools, while authorities assess reported threats and schools strengthen measures intended to protect students and personnel. The school has not announced further details beyond its advisory, and the public has been urged to rely on verified information rather than circulating social media reports.
DC Alviar
Professor DC Alviar is a tenured associate professor at National University (NU) Manila and a steering committee member of the Philippine International Studies Organization (PHISO). He has contributed to NU's community extension initiatives that introduced the five disciplines of a learning organization (Senge, 1990) to communities within a local government unit. He writes and edits local reports for Mega Scene. He graduated with Master of Development Communication (MDC) and Doctor of Communication (DComm) degrees from the University of the Philippines (UP) Open University in Los Baños and was awarded with a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) SIKAP grant. He previously served as editor-in-chief of The Adamson News and his high school publication Ang Ugat.
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
