Bukidnon school eyes safety upgrades after Grade 12 student’s death

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — The Valencia National High School (VNHS) is mourning the tragic loss of an 18-year-old Grade 12 female student who passed away Wednesday evening after allegedly jumping from the school building, which officials now want to upgrade to avoid a similar incident.

According to school principal Angelina Cacharo and city police investigators, the incident occurred after regular class hours, past 6:48 p.m.

The victim, who belonged to the afternoon class shift, was rushed to a private hospital still conscious for emergency medical treatment but was pronounced dead by the attending physician in the evening due to sustained fractures.

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READ: Incoming DLSU student falls to death from campus building

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The Valencia City Police Station, under newly installed Officer-in-Charge Lt. Col. Hope Mark Orbuda, responded to the scene and closely coordinated with school administrators.

Investigations continued to determine the reason for the incident.

In the wake of the tragedy, VNHS held early morning prayers and provided psychological support and debriefing sessions for teachers and classmates on Thursday.

Principal Cacharo told the Inquirer that the school plans to install protective metal grills on the building’s upper floors to ensure student safety, while calling on the national government to incorporate safety grill designs into high-rise educational facilities.

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School authorities, the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), and the local police are cooperating fully as the investigation proceeds.

VNHS serves 11,000 students and 500 teachers currently running under the newly implemented tri-term school calendar via DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026.

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READ: DLSU student hurt after falling from a building

Officials have appealed to the public to refrain from sharing unverified information or speculative narratives on social media out of respect for the privacy and grieving process of the student’s family./coa