Content warning: School shooting and violence
The country cannot afford to let another school violence incident ‘pass’ without confronting the challenges facing its young people, Manila’s Catholic archbishop said.
Cardinal Jose Advincula urged families, schools, churches and communities to listen to young people who may be struggling silently with loneliness, anxiety, bullying, academic pressure or family problems.
“We must not allow this tragedy to pass without listening deeply to what it tells us about the struggles of our young people,” Advincula said in a statement.
He called for safe spaces where young people can speak without fear of judgment, seek help without shame and know they are valued.
Advincula made the statement after a shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University that killed two high school students, including the gunman.
The Zamboanga shooting followed a series of violent incidents in schools, including a June 22 attack in Tacloban City that killed three students and raised concerns about school security, access to firearms and vulnerable young people.
The Archdiocese of Zamboanga expressed solidarity with the Jesuit community, the university and those affected by the shooting.
“We join the entire ADZU community in profound grief over the loss of young lives and in deep concern for those who have been wounded, traumatized, and deeply affected by this tragedy,” the archdiocese said.
The archdiocese assured students, teachers, personnel and families of its prayers and support, saying, “In this painful moment, may no one feel alone.”
It also called for schools to remain safe spaces where young people can learn, grow and discover their dignity while promoting compassion, dialogue and peace.
The archdiocese affirmed its commitment to “truth, justice, and accountability,” and backed a thorough investigation and appropriate accountability for the shooting.
But Advincula said the response must go beyond security measures, calling for stronger systems of care and accompaniment.
“We need to listen to them, not only when they speak loudly, but especially when they suffer quietly,” he said.
The cardinal urged the public to make prayer a starting point for practical action and to build communities where struggling young people can be heard and supported.
“In this moment of grief, let us turn to prayer, but let our prayer also lead us to united action,” Advincula said.
“Together, let us strengthen a culture of care, compassion, dialogue, and accompaniment so that violence and hatred may never have the final word.”
