Anti-Bullying Policies:

Promoting a Positive School Climate

ANNA LISSA M. DINOPOL

Royal Child Academy of Mactan, Inc.

COVERAGE OF ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

Public and Private

Kindergarten
Elementary
Secondary Schools
Learning Centers
- as facilities for learning programs
for out-of-school youth and adults

BULLYING DEFINED
A severe or repeated use of physical act
or gesture, written or electronic,
expression or combination thereof
resulting to
Fear, physical, emotional harm, damage to
property, creation of hostile environment and
infringement of rights of another student.
Disruption of education process or orderly
operation of the school.
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FORMS OF BULLYING
1. Physical Bullying

This is when a person (or group of people) uses physical action to bully,
such as hitting, poking, tripping or pushing.
Repeatedly and intentionally damaging someones belongings is also
physical bullying.

FORMS OF BULLYING
2. Social (covert) Bullying
Indirect actions, such as lying about someone,
spreading rumors, playing a nasty joke that
make the person feel humiliated or powerless
mimicking or deliberately excluding someone.

FORMS OF BULLYING
3. Psychological Bullying
For example, threatening, manipulating or stalking
someone.
4. Cyber-Bullying
This is a method of Bullying using Technology
such as email, mobile phone, chat rooms and
social networking sites to bully verbally, socially or
psychologically.
( In the Philippines, two (2) recorded physical bullying that lead to
death and a case where a parent allegedly pointed a gun to
a bullying victim)
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Psychological/Verbal Violence Experienced in School

(Elem. & H.S.) Plan Philippines 2009
1) Ridiculed, Teased

64%

2) Cursed, had bad words spoken, shouted at

3) Deliberately ignored or not spoken to

56%

40%

4) Humiliated, degraded 40%

5) Threatened with physical violence 29%
6) Threatened to hurt people close to the child

27%

Cyber-Bullying Includes:

Texting
Email
Instant messaging
Chatting
Social media
Online games

CYBER-BULLYING
- Is a form of bullying. It involves four elements to be
classified as such
Technology this involves the use of cell phone and related
electronic devices, tablets, computers, social web and the
use of videos and images.
Deliberate the act in not spontaneous, as in the outraged
involving the reactions against the person caught on
cameras slapping an MMDA enforcer.
Repeated if online behavior becomes a repeated act and
directed to one person or group, then it becomes a potential
case of cyber-bullying.
Hostile the last element to classify an act as cyber-bullying
is the hostile behavior of the perpetrator to the subject. The
hostile acts are intended to strip the victim of self-dignity and
worth.
(Bullying, in international circle, is commonly referred to minor (victims and
aggressor)
If an adult is involve, the term being used is either cyber harassment or cyber
stalking.
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What the Law requires from the school:

1. Come up with policies defining and prohibiting:

Bullying inside school premises

Bullying outside school premises (cyber-bullying) resulting to the
definition above
Retaliation against person who reports bullying incidents or bullies.

2. Come up with administrative procedures and

disciplinary actions:
3. Rehabilitation Program for the Bullies
4. Strategies and Procedures for

Recording and Reporting System

Reporting and Investigation
Filter False reports and disciplinary action for students making false
reports
Safety and security of students
Support services such as counseling for victims
Education for parents and students on bullying dynamics

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What the Law requires from the school:

5. Mechanism

Persons accountable for the implementation ( Principal or anyone with

comparable role)
Who can report incidents of bullying: school head, parent, student,
volunteers)
Who should handle bullying cases: Principal and/or person designated
by the Principal
Expected Actions

Investigate promptly
Take appropriate disciplinary actions
Report to law enforcement agency if provisions of revised penal code was satisfied
Notify parents or guardians of perpetrators
Notify parents or guardians of victims and inform of the actions that has been taken
and preventive measures

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What the Law requires from the school:

6. Reporting Requirements

Six (6) months after the effectivity of this law, school will inform
their division superintendent, in writing, of the policies,
procedures and strategies they have formulated.

This shall also be a requirement before operation of new school

commence.

Annual reporting of schools to division superintendent on

relevant statistics and data. These in turn will be summarized
and reported to DepEd Secretary.

The DepEd Secretary shall summarize these and report the

same on basic education of both Houses of Congress.

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How to handle Cyberbullying

Schools Role

Clear policy on cyber-bullying

Parents-Teacher School Council of Bullying
Education program for parents-teachers-students on Social Web
Counseling for the victim

Parents Role
Be knowledgeable. Prevention is better.
Be involve on the on-line activities of your child.

Regulate the use of computer and other technology

Impress on your kids that technology is meant to add value to others not harm them

Ensure that the household helper are also equipped of the basics of cyber
wellness
Listen ( do not react or over-react)
Preserve the evidence ( screen shot, do not delete email, chat, wall posting)
Try to identify the bully (ip address, profile)
Report the bully to the service provider
Unfriend or block bully
Communicate with the school and parent organization
Seek police or legal when needed

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How to handle Cyberbullying

Pupils Role

Share your account with your parent

Do not share too much information about you
Do not give your real time location
Do not post pictures of you and your family
Do not go to sites that encourages anonimity
Connect only with people you know
Do not talk to strangers in any way
Do not engage a bully
Report a bully to parents or trusted adult
Together with your parents, unfriend or block the bully

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School Prevention/Intervention Programs

Schools to have prevention program that is comprehensive, multi-faceted

and shall involve all education stakeholders and personnel. This may contain:
Positive school climate/environment
Periodic assessment and monitoring of bullying behaviors
Periodic review of manual of conduct for both students and personnel, in relation
to bullying
Activities on the issue for students, personnel and service providers
Personnel Development
Coordination with LGUs and other stakeholders
Classroom initiatives/activities
Activities involving parents

Schools to have intervention programs to ensure continuity of policies. These

may include
Activities
Corrective and preventive, rather than punitive measures

Intake Sheet to be accomplished by schools whenever there is an incident of

bullying
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The Child Protection Committee (CPC)

School Head/Administrator
Guidance Counselor/Teacher
Representative of Teachers

- Chairperson
- Vice Chairperson
- Member

(Designated by the Faculty)

Representative of Parents

- Member

(Designated by the PTA)

Representative of Students

- Member

(Designated by the Student Council)

Representative from Community

- Member

(Designated by the Punong Barangay Council for the Protection of Children)

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Due Process in Handling Bullying Reports

Students and his parents to be informed IN WRITING of
the complaint
Student to be given the opportunity to answer with
assistance of parents/guardians
Decision of the school head shall be IN WRITING,
stating the basis thereof
School heads decision may be appealed to the Division
Office of DepEd

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Other Salient Points

Anti-Bullying policy may be part of the schools child
protection policy
School should submit reports prescribed in IRR
Students should have a duty to intervene to protect the
victim, unless the same jeopardizes their safety/security
Students, like teachers, have a duty to report incidents of
bullying
The Child Protection Committee shall also be the AntiBullying Committee
Jurisdiction for complaints of bullying and other acts
under the IRR is EXCLUSIVE:
- Department of Education or private school only and not subject to
barangay settlement.
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Other Salient Points

Anti-Bullying Procedures must include:
Immediate response, call the attention of any school personnel
Stop the bullying immediately
Remove students from harm and provide medical attention if
needed
Bring the bully to the Guidance Office or designated personnel

Anonymous reporting to be entertained

Person reporting to be afforded protection
Fact-Finding and Documentation:
Designated School Official to:

Interview parties involved separately

Assess threat level, devise intervention strategies
Inform parents of both parties of the steps to be taken
Make recommendations to Child Protection Committee
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Other Salient Points

The Child Protection Committee to determine the intervention
programs for parties involved
Schools may refer parties to trained professional outside the school
Disciplinary measures must be according to nature, gravity of the
bullying and attendant circumstances
Due process must be observed
Community service may be a form of punishment if the same is in the
rules and regulations of the school
The Child Protection Committee supervises the intervention program
False accusation of bullying also to be sanctioned
Bullying incidents are confidential and breach thereof by school
personnel is likewise sanctioned.
All schools covered to submit a copy of their anti-bullying policy to the
Division Office ( IRR was signed December 13, 2013)

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Intervention Strategies: Protecting Victims

Supervise and discipline offending students fairly and consistently.

Provide adult supervision during recess, lunch time, bathroom

breaks and in the hallways during times of transition.

Maintain contact with parents and guardians of all involved parties.

Provide counseling for the victim if needed.

Instruct school personnel to monitor parties involved in previous

bullying incidents and instruct them to intervene if problem recurs.

Check with victim daily to ensure that there is no further bullying or

retaliation.
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SMART Approach to Addressing Bullying

Stay Safe
Make Connections
Always Stand Up For Yourself
Realize Your Options
Talk It Out

SMART Approach to Addressing Bullying

Stay Safe
Think ahead. Do what you need to do to
stay out of harms way.
Avoid places and situations that place you
at risk.

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Make Connections
Develop friendships with people whom
you view as trustworthy and who share
your interests.

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Always Stand Up For Yourself

Walk with your head up and make eye
contact with others.
Keep your cool.
Dont allow the words or actions of others
to hurt you.
Tell the harasser to stop.

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Realize Your Options

You didnt cause this problem.
Suffering in silence only gives the person
harassing you more opportunity to continue
or increase harmful behaviours.
Reacting by getting physical, getting friends
to return the harassment, or ignoring the
harassment only makes it worse.

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Talk It Out
Talk to trusted friends or adults about how
you want the negative situation to be
resolved.
Get help if and when needed.
When its over, let it go. Dwelling on
negative incidents takes away from your
enjoyment of life.

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