STATEMENT OF SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN ON DEPED REVIEW OF THE ANTI-BULLYING LAW'S IRR

The proposed revisions to the implementing rules and regulations of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (Republic Act No. 10627) should pave the way for stronger anti-bullying programs in our schools. The 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealed that the Philippine public schools had the highest incidence of bullying among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, a trend that was repeated in the 2022 PISA. Based on the 2022 PISA results, one in three Filipino learners experience bullying at least once a week.

Revisions to the IRR should address the law's uneven implementation, along with other issues, including limitations in policy scope, variations in school practices, and a significant lack of trained personnel. The implementation of the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (Republic Act No. 12080), which mandates the development of a School-Based Mental Health Program, will also support efforts to combat bullying and create safer learning environments in our schools.