THE bullying incident that took place at a public school in Davao City involving minors has already been resolved, Jenielito Atillo, spokesperson of the Department of Education in Davao Region (DepEd-Davao), said.
In a phone interview with SunStar Davao on Tuesday, November 1, Atillo said the case was resolved at the school level after discussions were made by parents of both the students involved and the school’s Child Protection Committee.
He added that the incident was taken care of immediately but the video of the incident, which showed one student beating another while they were surrounded by other students, became viral and sparked heated discussions online last week.
"With the caveat that such incident must and shall at all times be avoided, we remind our schools to ensure child protection policies and anti-bullying policies, masiguro nato na ma-implement (and make sure it is implemented),” Atillo said.
He added that the school's response is compliant with Republic Act No. 10627 or “An act requiring all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of bullying in their institutions.”
Aside from the child protection policy, Atillo said DepEd-Davao also has anti-bullying programs and participation from other government agencies to ensure the student’s well-being, like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO).
At the school level, guidance and counseling programs are also in place for victims of bullying.
However, Atillo also reminded parents to be responsible for their child’s behavior and actions and to provide the children with a proper home environment conducive to the child’s growth.
“So dili pwede na i-asa lang gyud siya sa eskwelahan (We cannot be wholly dependent on the school), we can only do so much. Ang number one unit na mag ensure sa tamang decorum sa bata is ang panimalay, then suportahan siya sa school (The home is the number one unit responsible for a child’s proper decorum, supported by the school)," Atillo said. ICM