Nation

SENATOR STRESSES NEED TO STRENGTHEN MECHANISMS VS BULLYING IN SCHOOLS

/ 14 February 2023

SENATOR Robinhood Padilla on Monday sought to strengthen the mechanisms against bullying in schools, saying the current mechanism that provides for a confrontation between the victim and the bully may not be effective.

“Madalas ang bullying kasi anak ng mga mayayaman, anak ng pulitiko, e natakot po banggain ng teacher. Kaya siguro po ang akin pong mungkahi amyendahan ng mahal na tagapangulo ang batas na ito, maliwanag natin doon, talagang babanggain natin itong mga ito kasi yan talaga ang bully. Walang bolahan ito, kung sino talaga ang makukulit at mayayabang yan po talaga ang may kapit,” he said.

The senator admitted that he experienced bullying when he was a child.

“Siguro ang pinakamainam niyan magkaroon ng proseso na lihim din, huwag ang normal na proseso na ipatatawag at pahaharapin doon, di nakakatulong yan. Sa aking palagay dapat po baguhin ang ganoong klaseng proseso dahil sa katapusan ng araw ang maiiwan uli doon sa paaralan ang estudyante. Ang magulang at principal babalik doon sa opisina niya. Ang magkikita sa corridor, minsan sa CR ang banatan diyan eh, ay silang dalawa lang at ang grupo. Kaya sa akin magkaroon lang ng tamang proseso sa reporting,” he added.

Padilla said authorities should also address mental bullying, especially since more youth have access to smartphones and the internet.

He said this may open the door to 24/7 bullying online.

Padilla said the bullies are already known to school management even without formal complaints against them.