19/07/2026
FEATURE | CURSED MONTH
The school year had barely begun.
June is supposed to be a month of fresh notebooks, new memories, and new beginnings. It is the month students look forward to after a long vacation. But nobody imagined that June a month meant for new beginnings would become one of the most painful months many students would ever remember.
The tragedy that left the deepest scar happened in Tacloban City. On June 22, the halls of San Jose National High School were shattered by the sound of gunfire. Panic replaced laughter. Classrooms turned into hiding places as students ran, cried, and searched for safety while chaos unfolded before their eyes.
When the gunfire stopped, four lives had been lost, and 21 others were injured. Two victims remained in critical condition. Investigators later confirmed that most of the shots were fired from a 9mm G***k pistol allegedly used by a 14-year-old student. The incident immediately became one of the deadliest school-related tragedies in recent memory.
Another 15-year-old student was also involved after he allegedly fired one warning shot using a .38 revolver. No one was injured by his gunfire, but he is now facing several criminal charges. Meanwhile, the 14-year-old suspect cannot be held criminally liable under the current juvenile justice law because of his age.
The numbers are heartbreaking, but they do not tell the whole story. Empty chairs inside classrooms. Parents waiting for children who would never return home. Friends trying to understand how an ordinary school day suddenly became a nightmare.
As the nation struggled to process the tragedy, another disturbing report emerged from Leyte. Authorities stopped an alleged school shooting plot before it could happen. No lives were lost, but the incident revealed a frightening reality: the fear created by the Tacloban tragedy had already spread beyond the city itself.
Earlier in the month, nature had already delivered its own tragedy. A powerful earthquake struck Mindanao during the opening days of classes, claiming lives, destroying homes, and forcing thousands of families into evacuation centers. For many students, lessons were replaced by uncertainty as they faced the aftermath of the disaster.
June also took away young dreams from the sports community. Rising basketball star Rene Baterbonia and teammate Divine Adili lost their lives during a team-building activity in Aurora. Their deaths left teammates, coaches, and supporters grieving the loss of two promising young athletes whose futures had seemed limitless.
Adding to public concern were allegations of sexual abuse involving a teacher and a student in Parañaque, as well as a stabbing incident involving two Grade 11 students in Cavite City. These incidents further fueled conversations about student welfare, campus security, and the responsibility of institutions to protect young people.
Even in Sta. Lucia and other communities, students have become more cautious than before. Some schools have started conducting bag inspections and lockdown drills to help keep everyone safe. While these measures are important, they also serve as reminders of the painful events that unfolded this June.
As the month comes to an end, many students carry fear, sadness, and unanswered questions. But they also carry hope that schools will once again be places filled with laughter, learning, and dreams rather than fear and tragedy.
Feature Article by Andrea Bulalakaw, 8 SPJ Marcelo
Digital Artwork by Ashlee Miranda Guevara, 9 SPJ Severino
Layout Design by Thriztan Jhoe Flores, 8 SPJ Marcelo
