Marilyn Cahatol

Students try to shield themselves from the heat of the noonday sun at President Corazon Aquino High School in the Baseco community in Tondo, Manila, on April 2, 2024. The Division of City Schools - Manila authorized school principals to declare the suspension of face-to-face classes or shift to asynchronous classes due to the high heat index currently experienced in different parts of the country. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HIGHT HEAT INDEX

Agatha Gregorio

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/177243885172120240402-baseco-heat-index-JC-3752.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Students try to shield themselves from the heat of the noonday sun at President Corazon Aquino High School in the Baseco community in Tondo, Manila, on April 2, 2024. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) executive director Dr. Karol Mark Yee proposed changing the Department of Education’s (DepEd) School-Based Management (SBM) Self-Assessment Checklist because of alleged underreporting of bullying cases in schools.</p><p>For Yee, one of the indicators should be the number of cases resolved and students supported through bullying, instead of simply “zero bullying incidence” in a school.</p><p>Some principals supposedly underreport bullying incidents as they do not want a lower rating on the checklist, according to Yee.</p><p>“So ang sinasabi ng mga principals, kaya nila ina-underreport ‘yung bullying — kahit may bullying, hindi na nire-report kasi mapapababa pa ‘yung rating nila dahil sa checklist na ito,” Yee said during a House Committee on Basic Education and Culture meeting on Monday.</p><p>The House panel’s chairperson, Rep. Roman Romulo, agreed in wanting the focus to be on how many cases were resolved.</p><p>“So ang suggestion ng EDCOM 2, based on the discussions with principals, siguro nakapaloob rin naman sa inyo ‘yung association ‘yan na sinasabi namin, huwag na lang ilagay nang ganoon, pero make it a bit positive na lang na ilan ba ang naresolbahan ninyo, assuming mayroon,” Romulo said. </p><p>According to DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2024, the SBM system “aims to strengthen the policy on decentralizing decision-making authority to school administration on matters affecting school operations and to establish a mechanism on continuous improvement and provision of technical assistance at the school level.” </p><p>Yee added, principals have said schools’ rankings and performance levels are affected by the checklist.</p><p>DepEd Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral admitted to the phenomenon of underreporting as an “unintended consequence” of the SBM indicator.</p><p>But he also clarified school performance, bonuses, and salaries are not impacted by the checklist’s results.</p><p>National Association of Public Secondary School Heads Inc. (NAPSSHI) Dr. Roland Dela Cruz also said school rankings are not truly affected by this. </p><p>Yee said they would look into the matter again and assess what schools have reported that this was their practice. </p><p>According to Cabral, revision of the indicators is “on the table for discussion.”</p><p>“We did a consultation on how to revise those indicators under the school-based parameters — SBM parameters… That has been on the table for discussion. But while we address also the fact na it was misinterpreted na dapat zero. Well, to note, dapat talaga zero–zero ang bullying sa eskwelahan. That&#x27;s the real intent of this. But nagkaroon siya ng unintended consequence when it was reported na hindi nire-report just to establish na zero,” Cabral said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/2/16/estudyante-patay-sa-pananaksak-matapos-ang-alitan-sa-paaralan-sa-floridablanca-1500">Estudyante patay sa pananaksak matapos ang alitan sa paaralan sa Floridablanca</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>TEACHERS’ WELFARE ON BILLS ON CONSTITUTION</strong></div><p>The Alliance of Concerned Teachers Philippines’ Ruby Ana Bernardo said they support the intent and core objective of proposed laws for teaching the Constitution in schools, but she also mentioned concerns over congestion in learning competencies.</p><p>“In consideration po siguro doon sa workload din ng teacher, doon sa training din — papaano ito ituturo, paano din pagkakasiyahin ito doon sa congested nga na ating mga learning competencies… Please also consider while adopting this bill the academic freedom and consultation among our teachers and their welfare,” Bernardo told lawmakers. </p><p>According to Senior House Deputy Majority Leader Representative Lorenz Defensor, the bill he authored could make teaching the Constitution in schools more definitive with the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) set to lay down what would be taught per level.</p><p>The National Educators Academy of the Philippines will coordinate with lawyers to ensure the Constitution would be taught the right way, according to DepEd Asec. Janir Datukan.</p><p>The House panel approved on Monday the substitute bill of proposed measures on integrating education on the 1987 Constitution in the curriculum for some levels.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/19/marcos-jr-reiterates-promise-no-school-teacher-will-retire-as-teacher-1-1334">Marcos Jr. reiterates promise: &#x27;No school teacher will retire as Teacher 1&#x27;</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>ALLEGED LACK OF COUNSELOR POSITIONS IN BARMM</strong></div><p>Guidance counselor Abdurrahman Amerol lamented how counselor positions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are allegedly lacking, saying, “We are in the teaching position not because we want to, but because there is no hiring in the BARMM of guidance counselor.&quot;</p><p>“For example, in the entire region, we only have one itemized registered guidance counselor... Parang nangyayari guidance counselor — kasama kami sa curriculum so nagiging multiple na rin ‘yung trabaho namin,” Amerol added. </p><p>Romulo said he will speak with members from BARMM and ask for advice on handling the matter amid concerns that action from DepEd may count as infringement on BARMM’s autonomy.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/8/gatchalian-to-deped-ph-should-not-be-bullying-capital-of-the-world-again-2316">Gatchalian to DepEd: PH should not be bullying capital of the world again</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nOHZhhjLRNk?si=uQ9NgBJAGjivWYPA" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Second Congressional Commission on Education executive director Dr. Karol Mark Yee proposed changing the Department of Education’s School-Based Management Self-Assessment Checklist because of alleged underreporting of bullying cases in schools.</p>

Second Congressional Commission on Education executive director Dr. Karol Mark Yee proposed changing the Department of Education’s School-Based Management Self-Assessment Checklist because of alleged underreporting of bullying cases in schools.

Change proposed in DepEd SBM checklist due to alleged underreporting of bullying

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Change proposed in DepEd SBM checklist due to alleged underreporting of bullying

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 02, 2026 04:17 PM PHT

Read More:

bullying

DepEd

SBM

House of Representatives

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