Jamaine Punzalan

Pupils attend classes at Fernando Ma. Guerrero Elementary School in Paco, Manila, on June 16, 2025.
Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

CLASS OPENING

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177364264192720250616-class-opening-manila-JC5067.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Pupils attend classes at Fernando Ma. Guerrero Elementary School in Paco, Manila, on June 16, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senator Bam Aquino stressed Monday  the need for the urgent reporting of bullying cases in schools as incidents continue to happen, with some becoming viral first before authorities get to respond. </p><p>One such case discussed during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Basic Education happened in a school in Ilocos Sur last February 18 where a student was reportedly hit by a classmate. </p><p>Department of Education (DepEd)-Ilocos Region Director Tolentino Aquino said the incident happened after a bullied student hid the belongings of a classmate. DepEd Region 1 said it was looking at filing administrative cases against the school head and teachers concerned. </p><p>“Ang isa pong naging problema dito ay ito na nga yung unreported. We knew it only after I think three days. So three days na pong nangyari ito bago pa nag-viral. And our field offices have been aware about it only after it became viral on social media,” Aquino said. </p><p>“And we are also looking at the negligence of the school head because the actual event took place during class hours,” the regional director added, saying their policy states that a bullying case should be reported at least three hours after discovery.  </p><p>The victim and bully have undergone psychosocial help and the regional office is looking at possibly suspending the student who committed the bullying act. </p><p>Sen. Aquino called for a change in the system. </p><p>“Dapat mabilis, di puwedeng umabot ng ilang linggo. Dapat alam agad natin. Kapag may nakitang ganyang klaseng activity or ganyang klaseng violence, karahasan, dapat agad-agad may aksyon tayo,” the senator said. </p><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nOHZhhjLRNk" title="Grade school student pinagtulungang saktan ng mga kaklase sa Narvacan, Ilocos Sur | TV Patrol" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>UNDERREPORTING BULLYING </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), schools have underreported cases of bullying. </p><p>“In the past, schools have historically underreported incidents because our monitoring and evaluation forms rewarded zero cases as a sign of good performance,” EDCOM 2 Technical Specialist for Basic Education Riz Comia said. </p><p>Comia reiterated that the Philippines has been tagged as the bullying capital of the world. In the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report, she said 43 percent of girls and 53 percent of boys reported being bullied multiple times a month.  </p><p>Comia also cited a Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2024 report that showed the Philippines had the highest bullying rate in Southeast Asia, with 50 percent of grade 5 students reporting being bullied at least once a month.</p><p>EDCOM 2 pointed out that bullying is not just a socio-economic crisis, it is also a driver of the country’s learning crisis. </p><p>“On average, learners who are bullied weekly score 41 points lower in Math and 52 points lower in Science compared to those who are bullied monthly,” Comia said. </p><p>The lack of guidance counselors is another factor that should be addressed, according to EDCOM 2. Comia said 4,000 plantilla positions for DepEd’s <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/4/16/senator-seeks-more-guidance-designates-to-address-school-bullying-1554">guidance counselors</a> remain unfilled as of March 2024. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/2/change-proposed-in-deped-sbm-checklist-due-to-alleged-underreporting-of-bullying-1617">Change proposed in DepEd SBM checklist due to alleged underreporting of bullying</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>DEPED’S ACTIONS </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Atty. Razzel Requesto, Officer-in-Charge of DepEd’s Bureau of Learner Support Services-Youth Formation Division, said they hoped to deploy school counselor associates by next school year. </p><p>“We are currently in collaboration with DBM on the inclusion of the creation of yung 10,000 po na school counselor associate 1 positions as provided in our GAA fiscal year 2026. We have already started the preparation and validation of the list of schools for deployment po ng mga SCAs na ito,” Requesto told the committee.  </p><p>DepEd is also partnering with non-government organizations and civil society organizations to provide psychological and mental support to students. </p><p>Requesto said the DepEd was strengthening its responsive mechanisms to bullying, such as the installation of CCTVs in schools’ common areas and implementation of random bag inspection.  </p><p>Requesto said they immediately activate schools division offices when they receive reports of bullying to investigate and resolve the matter. </p><p>She added that they provide interventions for children involved—those bullied, those who bully, and those who witness the bullying. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/focus/12/24/18/recovery-for-bullies-victims-possible-says-psychologist">Recovery for bullies, victims possible, says psychologist</a></div><p>Academic sanctions are also imposed on bullies, which may be in the form of reprimand, suspension or expulsion. </p><p>EDCOM 2 said it was working with DepEd to draft new Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Bullying Act. </p><p>Sen. Raffy Tulfo suggested assigning police officers in schools to deter bullying. He also floated the idea of imposing punishment on parents. </p><p>“Siguro community service, siguro sila maging janitor sa school, sila maglinis sa school, sila gagawa ng kung ano-anong project sa school. Itong mga magulang na yung mga anak nila di nila kayang pigilan at nambu-bully palagi. So para pag-uwi ng bahay yung magulang papagalitan yung anak na nambubully, paparusahan din niya,” Tulfo said.  </p><p>Requesto said they need to capacitate parents more, and to craft programs that will help them identify red flags.</p><p>Sen. Erwin Tulfo, meanwhile, said DepEd should have a text line where bullying incidents can be reported. </p><p>“Text line na lang po. Hindi na kailangan para yung ginawa na ‘Isumbong Mo Sa Pangulo.’ Ganoon din yung gagawin ninyo. ‘Isumbong sa DEPED.’ Meron kayong number, tatlong numero, 143 o ano ba yun, 67? Yung mga madaling matandaan ng mga bata,” the younger Tulfo said. </p><p>Requesto replied, “We do have an existing learner&#x27;s tele-safe contact helpline po, yung LTCCH po natin. Anonymous din naman po yung mga reports. We are also working with the Makabata Helpline of the CWC po for this case.” </p><p>Tulfo said DepEd should inform schools and students about the said helpline. </p><p>Sen. Aquino said a technical working group will further tackle amendments to the 13-year-old Anti-Bullying Act.</p><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MfR-8wcN5GY" title="LIVE: Senate holds hearing on expanding the coverage of Anti-Bullying Act" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Senator Bam Aquino stressed Monday the need for the urgent reporting of bullying cases in schools as incidents continue to happen, with some becoming viral first before authorities get to respond.</p>

Senator Bam Aquino stressed Monday the need for the urgent reporting of bullying cases in schools as incidents continue to happen, with some becoming viral first before authorities get to respond.

Aquino calls for urgent reporting of school bullying cases

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Aquino calls for urgent reporting of school bullying cases

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 16, 2026 02:33 PM PHT

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