PH schools remain the ‘bullying capital of the world’
- Metro Manila saw the “highest number” of reported cases of bullying, followed by the regions of Calabarzon and Central Luzon.
- Edcom 2 says problems with bullying can be blamed on the “outdated” implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the anti-bullying law, and the lack of guidance counselors assigned to schools.
- The current IRR “narrowly defines” bullying as repeated acts, focusing on traditional forms such as physical and verbal bullying, and lacks provisions for cyberbullying, indirect bullying and emerging forms of peer pressure
From poor performance in international assessments to being ranked as the “bullying capital of the world,” bullying among students in the Philippines remains persistent.
The Year 2 report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) showed that one in three students would report weekly bullying, despite a slight decline in the results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) in 2022 regarding bullying incidents.
As of June 2024, Edcom said Metro Manila saw the “highest number” of reported cases of bullying, along with the regions of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) and Central Luzon.
The regions of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Soccsksargen each had only one reported case.
“This disparity may not necessarily reflect actual differences in the incidence of bullying but rather the effectiveness of the reporting mechanisms in place,” read the report by Edcom.
The commission brought up several challenges that the government faces in addressing bullying through effective interventions such as the “outdated” implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the anti-bullying law, and the lack of guidance counselors assigned to schools.
It has been more than a decade, but Edcom noted the lack of revisions to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) IRR for Republic Act No. 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, despite “significant and numerous policy developments.”
The commission convened a technical working group to revise the IRR, inviting DepEd, child protection advocates, educational researchers, and other stakeholders.
‘Cyberbullying, indirect bullying, peer pressure’
The current IRR crafted by DepEd years ago “narrowly defines” bullying as repeated acts, focusing on traditional forms such as physical and verbal bullying.
“It lacks provisions for modern challenges, such as cyberbullying, indirect bullying (gossip or veiled remarks) and emerging forms of peer pressure,” Edcom said. “The absence of (a) comprehensive definition constrains schools from implementing comprehensive interventions.”
Sanctions under the anti-bullying law are also “vague,” said Edcom, noting that noncompliance with the law would lead to administrative cases in accordance with rules set by the Civil Service Commission.
Private schools, on the other hand, must inform their DepEd division office of any disciplinary actions.
“However, educators report that sanctions are vague and may be perceived as unreasonable or unfair, particularly given the limited support mechanisms available to those responsible for implementing the act,” Edcom said.
“Clearer and more specific guidelines on sanctions, coupled with adequate support for implementers, would help ensure fairness and effectiveness in enforcing compliance,” it added.
Child Protection Committee
The IRR also states the designation of the Child Protection Committee (CPC) to manage bullying complaints and handle child protection in schools.
The committee includes the school head or administrator as chairperson, a guidance counselor or teacher as vice chairperson, and representatives from the faculty, parents, students, and the community.
However, the CPC faces challenges in effectively addressing bullying incidents, such as limited access to registered guidance counselors. This was the case in schools in Navotas and in Tacloban City.
Schools in those cities would “often rely” on full-time teachers to handle bullying cases, which Edcom said may “dilute their capacity to focus solely on these issues.”
Despite this, there are no current guidelines to define bullying as a topic and how it can be effectively integrated into the curriculum.
The commission recommended that the government, through the revision of the IRR, should expand the definition of bullying, which would be a ‘critical step’ in addressing policy gaps observed.
Edcom suggested that the government should make efforts to prevent bullying in schools from becoming normalized.
It also noted that the DepEd should allocate adequate resources, such as funding for personnel, their training, and tools needed for schools to effectively enforce anti-bullying policies.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara told the Inquirer via Viber message that the DepEd was prioritizing the concerns about the lack of roles for teachers and other programs.
For anti-bullying efforts, Angara said that the DepEd had already created allied roles for programs such as anti-bullying by forming Learner Rights and Protection Officers.
“Overall, these policies will benefit more than half a million DepEd employees,” he said.
Read: DepEd-7 calls for child-friendly schools amid rising bullying cases
