The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Tuesday that the ‘alarming’ rise in bullying incidents has become a national concern, prompting the department to work with other government agencies and organizations.
“To effectively combat bullying, we need to work not just inside the schools, but also in the households and communities where our learners come from,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in a statement.
“This is not just a school matter, it is a national priority that demands a whole-of-government, whole-of-society response,” he added.
The data presented at the largest Executive Committee (Execom) meeting convened by the department revealed that bullying cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) rose from 2,268 cases last School Year (SY) to 2,500 in SY 2024-2025.
On April 4, video footage of students from Bagong Silangan High School (BSHS) in Quezon City dragging another student’s hair went viral online.
The official statement of the BSHS on its Facebook page said it condemns the “unacceptable behavior” caught on camera and has already “closed and addressed” the incident.
“Bagong Silangan High School maintains a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and harassment, and other harmful behaviors,” it said.
“We strongly condemn these actions and assure the public that all reports of misconduct are throughly investigated and addressed,” BSHS added.
To further enhance students’ safety against bullying, the Philippine National Police (PNP) committed to intervening in bullying incidents that involve legal violations.
The DepEd added that closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) outside “large urban and high-risk schools” will be enforced, along with increased police visibility that will follow strict adherence to the department’s policy on data privacy and zones of peace.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), backed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), proposed activating the Comprehensive Barangay Juvenile Intervention Program (CBJIP), which aims to prevent bullying through diversion and rehabilitation.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is also committed to investigating reports of bullying through its field offices and establishing a “Parent Effectiveness Office” to “educate families and address root causes such as domestic problems that may influence learner behavior.”
Apart from collaborative help from government agencies, the DepEd will also be assisted by experts from the University of the Philippines College of Education and Ateneo de Manila University in enhancing its Values Education and Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) curriculum.
The proposed enhancements include integrated socio-emotional learning, emotional regulation, and conflict management.
Currently, the DepEd is drafting a Default Policy on School Safety and Security that covers the guidelines for incident reporting, sanctions, psychological first aid, and financial assistance for victims of school-related incidents.
“We must act quickly and decisively,” Mr. Angara said. “The safety of our learners cannot wait for perfect conditions. What we need now is urgency, unity, and sustained action.” – Almira Louise S. Martinez
