President Noynoy Aquino Signs Anti-Bullying Act of the Philippines
President Aquino has signed Republic Act 10627, or the "Anti-Bullying Act of 2013."
The law, signed on September 12, 2013, requires all elementary and
secondary schools to “adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of
bullying in their institutions.”
It asks schools to prohibit bullying, retaliation against a person who
reports bullying, and provide disciplinary administrative sanctions
against a “perpetrator of bullying.”
The perpetrator is also required to undergo a rehabilitation program to
be administered by the school concerned while the parents will also be
encouraged to participate in the program.
Schools are expected to educate students, parents and guardians about
the “dynamics of bullying,” as well as the mechanisms for reporting
incidents of bullying or retaliation.
The school’s anti-bullying policies shall be published in the student
handbook and be posted in school bulletin boards and websites.
The school principal or designated school officer to handle bullying
cases is expected to “promptly investigate” reports of bullying and take
the necessary steps if bullying is found to have occurred.
This includes notifying law enforcement agencies if criminal charges may
be pursued against the perpetrator, taking the appropriate disciplinary
administrative action, and notifying the parents and guardians of the
perpetrator and victim.
The Department of Education will be prescribing the appropriate
administrative sanctions on school administrators who fail to comply
with the requirements of the law. - Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
