DepEd NCR logs 2,500 bullying cases in SY 2024-2025

The number of bullying cases recorded in Metro Manila schools during the academic year 2024-2025 increased to around 2,500, from the 2,268 cases in the previous school year, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday.

In a bid to address the “alarming” rise of bullying incidents in schools, the DepEd said that it held the “largest” executive committee meeting to date, bringing together concerned government agencies, civil society organizations, and academic experts.

“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. This is not just a school matter, it is a national priority that demands a whole-of-government, whole-of-society response,” Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement.

The DepEd said that during the meeting, the Philippine National Police (PNP) committed to intervene in bullying cases involving legal violations.

Installation of CCTVs and increased police visibility will also be enforced outside large urban and high-risk schools, with strict adherence to DepEd’s policy on data privacy and zones of peace.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) vowed to investigate reported bullying cases through its field offices and to establish a Parent Effectiveness Office.

This office, DepEd noted, aims to educate families and address root causes of bullying like problems at home that may influence learner behavior.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also proposed the activation of the Comprehensive Barangay Juvenile Intervention Program, which seeks to prevent bullying at the community level through diversion and rehabilitation.

This proposal was backed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which stressed that early interventions can help prevent young learners from entering the juvenile delinquency system.

Experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Education and Ateneo de Manila University also committed to assist DepEd in enhancing its Values Education and Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) curriculum by adopting an integrated socio-emotional learning, emotional regulation, and conflict management.

The integration of anti-bullying policies into the Values Education and GMRC curriculum, as well as the enrichment of the Drop-Out Reduction Program to better address the needs of children-at-risk and children in conflict with the law were also considered.

Default policy on school safety, security

The Education Department said it is also drafting a default policy on school safety and security, that will cover physical safety measures, clear procedures for incident reporting, sanctions for offenders, provision of psychological first aid, and financial assistance for victims of school-related incidents.

A comprehensive school operations manual will then be developed eventually, consolidating all safety and discipline-related policies.

Further, the DepEd also sought the possible assignment of beneficiaries of the government’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers' (TUPAD) program as “school watchmen” through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

It also requested additional assistance from the Department of Health (DOH) and medical associations in providing counseling and psychological first aid for bullying victims.

“We must act quickly and decisively,” Angara said. “The safety of our learners cannot wait for perfect conditions. What we need now is urgency, unity, and sustained action.”

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) in its year 2 report revealed that bullying, particularly in Metro Manila, continues to be a perennial issue in Philippine schools.

Citing the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the commission noted that 65% of Grade 10 students in the Philippines experienced bullying a “few times” a month, which was the highest among all participating countries.

In the 2022 PISA, there was a slight decline in reports, but it was emphasized that one in three students still faced weekly bullying.

“Bullying continues to be a silent and persistent issue in basic education, with the country ranking as the ‘bullying capital of the world’ due to the high prevalence of bullying reported by students,” the EDCOM said in its report. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News