Republic of the Philippines

CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES

3
 Section 2. Acts of Bullying.
4
For purposes of this Act, "bullying" shall refer to
any severe or repeated use by one or more
students of a written, verbal or electronic
expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any
combination thereof, directed at another student
that has the effect of actually causing or placing
the latter in reasonable fear of physical or
emotional harm or damage to his property;
 Section 2. Acts of Bullying.
5
creating a hostile environment at school for the
other student; infringing on the rights of the other
student at school; or materially and substantially
disrupting the education process or the orderly
operation of a school; such as, but not limited to,
the following:
 Section 2. Acts of Bullying.
6
a. Any unwanted physical contact between the
bully and the victim like punching, pushing,
shoving, kicking, slapping, tickling, headlocks,
inflicting school pranks, teasing, fighting and the
use of available objects as weapons;
b. Any act that causes damage to a victim’s
psyche and/or emotional well-being;
 Section 2. Acts of Bullying.
7
c. Any slanderous statement or accusation that
causes the victim undue emotional distress like
directing foul language or profanity at the target,
name-calling, tormenting and commenting
negatively on victim’s looks, clothes and body;
and
d. Cyber-bullying or any bullying done through
the use of technology or any electronic means.
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
8
◈ All elementary and secondary schools are
hereby directed to adopt policies to address the
existence of bullying in their respective
institutions. Such policies shall be regularly
updated and, at a minimum, shall include
provisions which:
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
9
(a) Prohibit the following acts:
(1) Bullying on school grounds; property
immediately adjacent to school grounds; at
school-sponsored or school-related activities,
functions or programs whether on or off school
grounds; at school bus stops; on school buses or
other vehicles owned, leased or used by a school;
or through the use of technology or an electronic
device owned, leased or used by a school;
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
10
(a) Prohibit the following acts:
(2) Bullying at a location, activity, function or
program that is not school-related and through the
use of technology or an electronic device that is not
owned, leased or used by a school if the act or acts
in question create a hostile environment at school
for the victim, infringe on the rights of the victim at
school, or materially and substantially disrupt the
education process or the orderly operation of a
school; and
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
11
(a) Prohibit the following acts:
(3) Retaliation against a person who reports
bullying, who provides information during an
investigation of bullying, or who is a witness to
or has reliable information about bullying;
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
12
(b) Identify the range of disciplinary administrative
actions that may be taken against a perpetrator for
bullying or retaliation which shall be
commensurate with the nature and gravity of the
offense: Provided, That, in addition to the
disciplinary sanctions imposed upon a perpetrator
of bullying or retaliation,
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
13
he/she shall also be required to undergo a
rehabilitation program which shall be
administered by the institution concerned. The
parents of the said perpetrator shall be
encouraged by the said institution to join the
rehabilitation program;
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
14
(c) Establish clear procedures and strategies for:
(1) Reporting acts of bullying or retaliation;
(2) Responding promptly to and investigating
reports of bullying or retaliation;
(3) Restoring a sense of safety for a victim and
assessing the student’s need for protection;
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
15
(c) Establish clear procedures and strategies for:
(4) Protecting from bullying or retaliation of a
person who reports acts of bullying, provides
information during an investigation of bullying, or is
witness to or has reliable information about an act of
bullying; and
(5) Providing counseling or referral to
appropriate services for perpetrators, victims and
appropriate family members of said students;
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
16
(d) Enable students to anonymously report
bullying or retaliation: Provided, however, That
no disciplinary administrative action shall be
taken against a perpetrator solely on the basis of
an anonymous report;
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
17
(e) Subject a student who knowingly makes a
false accusation of bullying to disciplinary
administrative action;
(f) Educate students on the dynamics of bullying,
the anti-bullying policies of the school as well as
the mechanisms of such school for the
anonymous reporting of acts of bullying or
retaliation;
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
18
(g) Educate parents and guardians about the
dynamics of bullying, the anti-bullying policies
of the school and how parents and guardians can
provide support and reinforce such policies at
home; and
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
19
(h) Maintain a public record of relevant information
and statistics on acts of bullying or retaliation in
school: Provided, That the names of students who
committed acts of bullying or retaliation shall be
strictly confidential and only made available to the
school administration, teachers directly responsible
for the said students and parents or guardians of
students who are or have been victims of acts of
bullying or retaliation.
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
20
◈ All elementary and secondary schools shall
provide students and their parents or guardians
a copy of the anti-bullying policies being
adopted by the school. Such policies shall
likewise be included in the school’s student
and/or employee handbook and shall be
conspicuously posted on the school walls and
website.
 Section 3. Adoption of Anti-Bullying Policies
21
◈ The Department of Education (DepED) shall
include in its training programs, courses or
activities which shall provide opportunities for
school administrators, teachers and other
employees to develop their knowledge and
skills in preventing or responding to any
bullying act.
 Section 4. Mechanisms to Address Bullying.
22
◈ The school principal or any person who holds
a comparable role shall be responsible for the
implementation and oversight of policies
intended to address bullying.
 Section 4. Mechanisms to Address Bullying.
23
◈ Any member of the school administration,
student, parent or volunteer shall immediately
report any instance of bullying or act of
retaliation witnessed, or that has come to one’s
attention, to the school principal or school
officer or person so designated by the principal
to handle such issues, or both.
 Section 4. Mechanisms to Address Bullying.
24
◈ Upon receipt of such a report, the school
principal or the designated school officer or
person shall promptly investigate. If it is
determined that bullying or retaliation has
occurred, the school principal or the
designated school officer or person shall:
 Section 4. Mechanisms to Address Bullying.
25
(a) Notify the law enforcement agency if the school
principal or designee believes that criminal charges under the
Revised Penal Code may be pursued against the perpetrator.
(b) Take appropriate disciplinary administrative action.
(c) Notify the parents or guardians of the perpetrator.
(d) Notify the parents or guardians of the victim
regarding the action taken to prevent any further acts of
bullying or retaliation.
 Section 4. Mechanisms to Address Bullying.
26
If an incident of bullying or retaliation involves
students from more than one school, the school
first informed of the bullying or retaliation shall
promptly notify the appropriate administrator of the
other school so that both may take appropriate
action.
 Section 5. Reporting Requirement.
27
All schools shall inform their respective schools
division superintendents in writing about the anti-
bullying policies formulated within six (6) months
from the effectivity of this Act. Such notification
shall likewise be an administrative requirement
prior to the operation of new schools.
 Section 6. Sanction for Noncompliance.
28
In the rules and regulations to be implemented
pursuant to this Act, the Secretary of the DepED
shall prescribe the appropriate administrative
sanctions on school administrators who shall fail to
comply with the requirements under this Act. In
addition thereto, erring private schools shall
likewise suffer the penalty of suspension of their
permits to operate.1
 Section 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations.
29
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this
Act, the DepED shall promulgate the necessary
rules and regulations to implement the provisions
of this Act.
 Section 8. Separability Clause.
30
If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is
declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other
sections or provisions hereof which are not affected
thereby shall continue to be in full force or effect.
 Section 8. Separability Clause.
31
If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is
declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other
sections or provisions hereof which are not affected
thereby shall continue to be in full force or effect.
 Section 9. Repealing Clause.
32
All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
parts thereof which are inconsistent with or
contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
 Section 10. Effectivity
33
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers
of general circulation.
Thank you.

34