House committee on education approves bill addressing 'bullying'

MANILA, Philippines - The committee on basic education and culture of the House of Representatives has unanimously approved a bill to address the rising incidence of “bullying” or intimidation inflicted by school bullies against their schoolmates.


The panel, chaired by Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero, calendared House Bill 5248 or the “Anti-Bullying Act” for plenary debates to ensure immediate passage of the measure.


HB 5248 is a consolidation of the various measures filed in the chamber that will make it mandatory for all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to address the acts of bullying in their institutions.
Among the authors of the measure are Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, chairman of the House committee of higher and technical education, and Ako Bicol party-list Reps. Rodel Batocabe, Alfredo Garbin, and Christopher Co.
Angara said the bill requires schools to have policies about bullying.


“Schools must acknowledge this problem of bullying since this is not a normal part of growing up,” Angara said.
He said the bill aims to protect all students from irreparable physical, psychological, emotional and mental harm.
He said school policies against bullying should include the enumeration of what constitutes bullying, and issuing a clear prohibition of bullying.


Under the bill bullying refers to any “severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture that causes on another student reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his or her property.”


HB 5248 directs school officials to provide mechanisms that would address bullying. These include notification of law enforcement agencies, taking appropriate disciplinary administrative action and notifying parents and guardians of the perpetrators.


The measure also mandates the Department of Education to include in its training programs courses that will teach school administrators, teachers and employees ways of preventing and handling bullying incidents.


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