The Department of Education (DepEd) has implemented stricter policies against bullying in schools through the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013. This aims to strengthen the implementation of the law and ensure accountability in all schools in the country.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara signed the new IRR of Republic Act 10627 requiring all public and private schools, including community learning centers and DepEd-supervised overseas schools, to implement a standard anti-bullying policy.
According to Angara, school should be a place of learning and not bullying. He also pointed out that bullying leads to absenteeism, low grades, and student dropouts. Therefore, it is important to address this behavior to improve the quality of education.
Under the new IRR, schools are required to have school-wide prevention programs, early intervention, and a clear process for complaints. The roles of school heads, teachers, parents, and students have also been clarified to ensure that no complaint is ignored. The Learner Formation Officer has also been designated as the first point of contact for complaints and to coordinate necessary actions.
The policy also includes providing clear guidance against bullying in student handbooks and placing them in places that are easily visible to students. DepEd will ensure that Child Protection Committees are functional in each school and will provide technical assistance as needed. The new policy will be published in the Official Gazette and distributed to all DepEd offices.