Ok, for those of you who have heard the news about the shooting, robbery/ burglary in Villa Nicasia, here's my opinion on the matter.
First off, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of this student.
For privacy purposes, I won't mention his name. I didnt get the chance to know him since he was several batches higher than me, and what I heard, I just heard from classmates, and those who lived near the site where the incident happened. Most of the details are in the news.
Secondly, for those of you who are questioning whether DLSHSI is safe, especially the Villa Nicasia area, think about all the other places that you consider safe. Are they, really?
DLSHSI itself is perfectly safe, with security guards at every station, every entrance and exit. Outside of that, it is all dependent on the authorities of Dasmarinas.
I personally think that those in power have not made the necessary steps to secure the area, or make the proper arrangements/ improvements considering that De La Salle is a highly populated area. The lack of streetlights, the large holes in the sidewalks, the open creek to the side of the walkway--these are things that could have easily been fixed, but, no changes have been made in the past year. I personally would like to change that, but in all honesty, I dont even know where to start with this one. Hopefully this year, since elections and all, they can do something about the periphery of DLSHSI.
With regards to Villa Nicasia, everyone has the right to question the security of this place right now, considering that other robberies/ burglaries happened within this year alone. Most of these incidents happened in the dorms farther away from the entrance to Nicasia. Some speculate that most of the criminals enter and exit from behind the village because of the empty lots nearby. Others also speculate that it was more of an inside job or so, rivalries, fights between students, fraternities, etc. Others speculate that the lenient procedures implemented by Nicasia for entry into the village was the reason. I mean, any car can get into Nicasia just as long as you either have a sticker, or Php 20.00. Yup, they don't ask for your ID when outsiders come in. They just ask for Php20.00 and you are free to roam around the place. They just assume that everyone who enters Nicasia are just there to look at dorms, and inquire.
It was an oversight on their part, and one, I hope, they would correct this year.
One more point that I'd like to make. I've been reading on comments from people on facebook and other forums that they're doubting if they made the right choice to apply to DLSHSI because of the safety issues.
Some are even correlating the quality of education to the quality of safety that the school is providing. That is completely irrelevant.
Well, give me a school that is 100% safe. Is there? Everything you do has corresponding risks. The risks can be lessened by the cooperation of the city authorities, the school, AND the students. If its late at night, and you still want to go out to study or go on a random road trip, its fine to do so...just as long as you take the proper precautions when going out.
Always travel in groups.
Don't stay out too late.
Always let someone know where you're going.
Be street smart.
In my undergrad, our area was a hotspot for crimes like that--holdups, salisi gangs, robberies, break ins, shootings, rallies, frat fights, but in my 4 years there, I never once experienced it (thank God). Other schools have experienced similar incidents like the ones you have been hearing about, and they can do only so much to protect their students. Much like DLSHSI, the safety of the students are always a priority, and they're doing their best to respond to these issues. But the blame/bulk of the responsibility doesnt rest solely on the school.
It needs the cooperation of everyone.
