The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) is working together with the Department of Education (DepEd) to fast track the revision of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, aiming for implementation before the start of the school year 2025-2026.
On January 21, following a year of consultations and studies, EDCOM 2 submitted its proposed revisions to DepEd, urging the agency to expand its definition of bullying, enhance both prevention and intervention programs, and to ensure availability of both guidance counselors and discipline officers to address bullying in schools.
EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee commended DepEd for its swift response, “We thank DepEd for their quick action. We submitted our proposal last January 21, and now, just two weeks later, we are already discussing how to refine and update our policies to address the issues faced by our students at the soonest possible time.”
During the discussion, Dr. Allan Bernardo, EDCOM 2 Standing Committee member and Distinguished Professor at De La Salle University (DLSU), also highlighted the importance of strengthening learner support services in schools: “Based on the five studies conducted by DLSU and by PIDS, bullying does not impact so much the mental health of students, however, the substantial effects on learning are very noticeable. The worst consequence of bullying is student disengagement. This disengagement not only hampers their academic performance but can also lead to long-term educational disinterest,” he added.
“It is of vital importance for PBMM and Sec. Sonny to ensure that our schools provide an environment that is conducive for learning. Studies show that bullying experienced by our learners does not only affect their mental and emotional states but also their learning capacities. Updating and revising the IRR of the Anti-Bullying Act is timely and necessary to prevent bullying in learning environments. DepEd and EDCOM2 shall continue to coordinate and work on the necessary protective mechanisms in this regard in compliance with the President’s directives.” said DepEd Undersecretary Filemon Ray Javier.
During the meeting, DepEd also shared that they have since institutionalized the Learner Rights Protection Division to ensure that there are dedicated personnel to monitor the implementation of the policy across divisions and schools. The agency also discussed their progress in the formulation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Acts 11036 (Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act) and 11206 (Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling Act), and how they are planning to align the revision of the Anti-Bullying policy, alongside these two other critical measures.
The revision of the IRR is scheduled to be completed in the next two months, and for implementation by the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
