SENATOR Risa Hontiveros found the cases of bullying among the youth extremely alarming and called on concerned agencies to address it.

“Therefore, just as the bullying and mental health of our children are non-debatable priorities for Congress, then it is just as important to acknowledge the struggles of our LGBTQIA+ youth,” Hontiveros said.

In School Year 2021-2022 alone, the Department of Education reported 7,800 cases of gender-based bullying.

“The numbers are telling a clear-cut story. If we say we are concerned about the future of our youth, then we should heed the data. As long as we are in denial, our children will continue to suffer the long-term consequences,” Hontiveros said.

The Inter-agency Task Team on Young Key Populations, or vulnerable youth aged 10-24 years old, conducted a South East Asian regional survey, including the Philippines, on Stigma, Discrimination and Gender-based violence in the Covid19 pandemic.

The results showed that 40 percent of the LGBTQIA+ youth respondents reported that they had faced gender-based violence, and 50 percent reported that they had suffered stigma and discrimination during the pandemic.

Another study by Galang Philippines in 2015 showed that 18 percent of the LGBTQIA+ community averaging 24 years old attempted suicide.

Suicide rates have drastically risen among the youth in general since then.