HAVE you witnessed someone being physically, verbally or emotionally harmed by a fellow student in school or have been a victim yourself?

The Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City Schools Division encouraged students from both public and private schools in the city to report any case of bullying to their class adviser for immediate action.

The call was made by City Assistant Division Schools Superintendent Dr. Danilo Gudelosao following the dismissal of a junior high school student from Ateneo de Manila University, who was caught bullying another student.

Several incidents of the physical and verbal abuse of the junior high school student by a fellow student were caught on video and were circulated online.

“We highly encourage students to report to their teachers or school heads any act of bullying targeted at them or their fellow students,” he said.

Gudelosao said that bullying incidents in the city is not alarming yet.

“This is because our preventive measures are school-based. Our school principals always check on our students and we have guidance coordinators who monitor the students as well,” he said.

Bullying incidents that have been reported to their office usually involved high school students.

Among the factors identified were identity crisis and peer pressure.

“We also look at the age. Most of the time, the cases involve teens probably because they are still trying to figure themselves out. So what we do is to have our guidance coordinators conduct regular counseling. But even then, we always remind our principals to check thoroughly and make parents aware of their kids’ performance in school,” Gudelosao said.

DepEd Order No. 40, or the DepEd Child Protection Policy, requires the creation of school-child protection committees in all public and private schools.

The Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, also require all public and private schools to submit a copy of their child protection or anti-bulllying policy to the division office.

In Cebu City, Gudelosao said all school heads and teachers are required to undergo a seminar on child protection policies every year. (RTF)