Manila, Aug. 20 -- Repeated student absences may soon be treated as more than an attendance problem, with the Department of Education (DepEd) considering them as possible early warning signs that a learner may need closer attention or intervention.

DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma told a Senate hearing on Thursday that the department is strengthening its threat assessment system following the school shooting incidents in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City.

"In fact, we're already starting to make an inventory, a more serious inventory on the absences ng mga bata (student absences). Kasi pagka madalas na nag-absent yung bata, medyo red flag na dapat yun (Frequent absences should already be considered a red flag)," Garma said.

He said te...