MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday said it is addressing bullying in schools, as school heads acknowledge the long-term impact of bullying. 

In a press release, DepEd highlighted the story of Principal Richard Santos of Rizal High School, who dealt with violence caused by bullying. 

Rizal High School, DepEd said, recorded around 382 bullying cases in just one year, 48 of which resulted in physical injuries. On top of that, the school only has one guidance counselor. 

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the freshly-signed implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act sought to address this and other issues on bullying. 

The IRR will establish the Mental Health and Well-Being Office (MHWO) in high-burden areas which would be led by a Schools Division Counselor. 

“Sa pagpapatupad ng batas na ito, titiyakin natin na hindi lang ito magiging isang polisiya

kundi isang konkretong hakbang upang matiyak na may malalapitan ang bawat estudyante at guro sa oras ng pangangailangan,” said Angara. 

"We understand that the numbers we currently have don’t fully capture what’s actually happening on the ground. That’s why the Department is not just responding to the reports we

receive but also working to put prevention measures in place," he said. 

DepEd will also prioritize the allocation of one school counselor or school counselor associate to check on students’ welfare and mental well-being. 

Aside from this, the agency will review the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 and consolidate the Anti-Bullying and Rights-Based Education in the education curriculum to help address the supposed underreporting of bullying incidents. 

“To further strengthen these initiatives, DepEd will harmonize the revised IRR of the Anti-Bullying Act IRR with the IRR of the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion

Act,” the statement read. 

“The agency has also coordinated with its Human Resources division to explore the hiring of Project Development Officer I (PDO I) positions, who can also serve as discipline officers to

support schools in managing bullying and behavioral issues,” it added. 

Bullying has alarmed netizens after DepEd had recorded about 170 instances of bullying in schools in just over a month.

The agency gathered the reports from November 24, 2023 to January 11, 2024 through its “Telesafe” helpline.

Additionally, the Philippines is at the top of the list of countries where students feel unsafe at schools, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which is tasked to evaluate the education sector.

In 2023, the group Save the Children Philippines raised concerns on bullies who also need help psycho-social help.