Senators seek review of anti-bullying law

MANILA, Philippines — Senators are calling for a review of Republic Act 10627, otherwise known as the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, and the establishment of mental health offices (MHOs) in state universities and colleges (SUCs) following the alarming rise in cases of bullying and suicides on campuses.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate committee on basic education, has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry on the status of implementation of the law to address incidents of bullying in schools and to recommend policy as well as legislative interventions for its effective enforcement.

Gatchalian said he sought the review following incidents related to bullying in schools, including a fatal stabbing involving two students of Culiat High School in Quezon City, and the physical altercation between two Ateneo de Davao University students.

He said bullying adversely affects the performance of learners, citing results of the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment that showed that among 15-year-old learners from 79 participating countries, Filipino students are the most exposed to bullying, with 65 percent of them experiencing bullying at least a few times a month.

The assessment also showed that learners who reported being threatened scored 56 points lower in reading compared to those who had no or less frequent experiences.

Gatchalian said a comprehensive analysis of RA 10627 is needed as he cited the need to ensure that every school is effectively implementing procedures described in the anti-bullying law, including immediate responses, reporting, fact-finding and documentation, intervention and disciplinary measures.

The Department of Education (DepEd) Order 55 of 2013 designates the Child Protection Committee (CPCs) as the Anti-Bullying Committee, which will handle bullying cases in public or private schools.

Forming CPCs in schools was first mandated in 2012 by the DepEd’s Child Protection policy, which promotes zero tolerance for abuse and violence against children.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada also called for a review of the anti-bullying law.

Estrada filed Senate Bill 1508 seeking the establishment of MHOs in all SUCs amid the rising number of Filipino students struggling with mental health issues.

“There have been a lot of studies on the worsening mental shape of our youth today. We should not shrug these off but act and solve these so the number of depressed students would not increase,” Estrada said.

He cited the World Health Organization report on adolescent mental health, which showed suicide as the fourth leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29.

Under the measure, all SUCs should be required to have MHOs on their campuses and set up campus hotlines with dedicated and trained guidance counselors to provide assistance to students as well as teaching and non-teaching staff.

Special attention should be given to those identified to have mental health problems, especially those at risk of committing suicide.