DAUIN, Negros Oriental — The municipal government of Dauin has ordered all barangay captains to deploy barangay tanods at every public elementary and secondary school in the town during school opening, lunch break, and dismissal hours, aimed at strengthening the safety of learners across the municipality.
Acting Municipal Mayor Alvin V. Truita issued the directive through Executive Order No. 2026-23, Series of 2026, signed on June 24, 2026.
Three Daily Deployment Periods Mandated
Under the executive order, all Punong Barangays are required to assign an adequate number of barangay tanods to render duty at schools within their respective barangays during three defined periods each school day.
Tanods must report at least 30 minutes before the start of classes and remain on duty until learners have safely entered school premises. They are also required to be present during the designated lunch break to monitor learner safety, and to return at least 30 minutes before dismissal, staying until learners have safely dispersed from the school vicinity.
Tanod Duties: Traffic, Safety, and Coordination
According to Executive Order No. 2026-23, deployed tanods are tasked with assisting learners in safely crossing roads and highways, and with helping manage pedestrian and vehicular traffic near school entrances and exits.
They are further directed to maintain peace and order around school premises, coordinate with school authorities, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) when necessary, and to immediately report any untoward incidents or security concerns to the appropriate authorities.
School Heads and Barangay Chairs Share Coordination Duties
The order directs school heads to coordinate with their respective Punong Barangays on deployment schedules and designated duty posts. Barangay chairpersons, in turn, must submit a complete list of assigned tanods to the Office of the Mayor for record-keeping and monitoring purposes.
The Municipal Local Government Operations Office (MLGOO), in coordination with the MDRRMO, the PNP, and the Department of Education (DepEd) Dauin District, is tasked with monitoring compliance. The PNP was specifically directed to assist barangay chairpersons in deploying tanods within their respective jurisdictions.
Order Grounded in Local Government Code and DILG Circular
The executive order cites two legal bases. The first is Section 16 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, known as the General Welfare Clause. The second is DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2025-072, titled "Deployment of Barangay Tanods in Department of Education Schools," which provides the national policy framework for deploying barangay peacekeepers within school vicinities.
The order takes effect immediately and remains in force unless amended or revoked by the municipal government.
Schools and Barangays Covered by the Order
The directive covers all barangays in Dauin and applies to all public elementary and secondary schools in the municipality, following the existing Dauin District School-Barangay arrangement. The covered schools and their corresponding barangays are as follows:
- Apo Elementary School / Apo Island High School — Apo Island
- Bagacay Elementary School / Froilan A. Alanano Memorial High School — Bagacay, Bunga
- Baslay Elementary School — Baslay, Batuhon Dacu, Casile
- Bulak Elementary School / Dauin Science High School — Bulak, Lipayo
- Casile Elementary School / Apolinar B. Macias Memorial High School — Casile, Batuhon Dacu, Tunga-tunga, Panubtuban
- Dauin Central School / Dauin National High School — Poblacion Districts I, II & III, Masaplod Norte, Lipayo
- Maayongtubig Elementary School — Maayongtubig
- Mag-aso Elementary School / Antonio B. Alejado Memorial High School — Mag-aso, Libjo, Magsaysay, Boloc-boloc, Panubtuban
- Magsaysay Elementary School — Magsaysay
- Malongcay Elementary School / Malongcay Dacu High School — Malongcay Dacu
- Masaplod Elementary School — Masaplod Sur, Masaplod Norte
- Panubtuban Elementary School — Panubtuban, Boloc-boloc
- Tugawe Elementary School — Tugawe, Libjo
By the Numbers
- 1 executive order issued — E.O. No. 2026-23, Series of 2026
- June 24, 2026 — date the order was signed by Acting Mayor Truita
- 3 mandatory daily deployment periods per school day
- 30 minutes — minimum advance reporting time before class opening and before dismissal
- 13 school clusters covered across Dauin's barangays
- 2 legal instruments cited as basis: R.A. 7160 and DILG MC No. 2025-072
Why This Matters
The order institutionalizes a structured safety presence at all public schools in Dauin, directly addressing traffic hazards and security risks during the most vulnerable periods of the school day — when large numbers of children are arriving, moving about, or leaving campus. By anchoring the directive in both the Local Government Code and a DILG national policy circular, the Dauin municipal government ensures the measure has legal standing and aligns with a nationwide framework for school safety. Compliance is subject to multi-agency monitoring involving the MLGOO, MDRRMO, PNP, and DepEd, making this a coordinated intergovernmental effort rather than a standalone barangay initiative.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Dauin Municipal Government