THE SECOND Congressional Commission on Education announced Friday that it is working closely with the Department of Education to expedite revisions to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, aiming for implementation before the start of School Year 2025-2026.

The commission submitted its proposed revisions to DepEd on January 21, urging the agency to expand the definition of bullying, strengthen both prevention and intervention programs, and ensure the presence of guidance counselors and discipline officers 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 on 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,” Yee said.

During the discussions, EDCOM 2 Standing Committee member and De La Salle University Distinguished Professor Dr. Allan Bernardo emphasized the importance of strengthening learner support services in schools.

“Based on five studies conducted by DLSU and PIDS, while bullying may not significantly impact students’ mental health, it does have substantial effects on learning outcomes,” he noted.