Private schools urged to have anti-bullying policies

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has urged private elementary and secondary schools nationwide to come up with anti-bullying policies within 30 days to avoid suspension or revocation of their permits.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro signed last Friday the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of Republic Act 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013.

The law mandates all elementary and secondary schools, public or private, to adopt policies addressing bullying in their institutions. 

Under the law’s IRR, school personnel of public kindergarten, elementary or secondary schools who fail to conform to the law will be imposed sanctions in accordance with the Civil Service Rules and relevant issuances of the department, Luistro said.

Under the law, bullying acts include cyber-bullying, inflicting physical harm to the child and utterance of slanderous statements or accusations such as the use of profanities, name-calling and commenting negatively on the victims’ looks, clothes and body, which causes the victim undue emotional distress.

Also included are social bullying –which refers to any deliberate, repetitive and aggressive social behavior intended to hurt others or belittle any individual or group – and gender-based bullying or humiliation of a person on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity.