SENATOR Erwin Tulfo called on schools and authorities—including the police, local social welfare offices, and the Department of Education—to stop relying on reactionary measures and adopt proactive strategies to curb bullying in schools.

During the first hearing of the Senate Committee on Basic Education on his privilege speech, Tulfo highlighted that incidents of bullying persist because current responses are largely reactive, rather than preventive.

“That’s our problem—we are reactionary. What do you do when you find out a child has been bullied? Do you call the parents? We rely on you to implement the law, yet what’s happening?” he asked.

Tulfo stressed that other countries immediately notify the parents of both the bullied and the bully to warn them of consequences, a measure he believes the Philippines should adopt.

He also criticized the current Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, noting that a formal complaint is required before any investigation can begin. “What if the bullied child cannot report the incident out of fear? Can’t authorities initiate an investigation on their own?” he questioned.

Department of Education Director Atty. Razzel Anne Requesto clarified that the IRR allows reports from bystanders and that teachers can begin preliminary fact-finding steps to intervene.

“Our aim is simple yet critical: every school should be a safe space for every Filipino child,” Tulfo said, reiterating his call to revisit and strengthen the Anti-Bullying Act.

“Our law is ineffective if incidents go viral before any action is taken. What if a bullied child, feeling helpless, takes their own life? We must act before that happens,” he added.

Tulfo concluded: “In the name of the children who suffer in silence inside classrooms, let us review the Anti-Bullying Act, strengthen its provisions, and ensure every classroom in the Philippines is truly safe for every Filipino child.”