SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian sought the strict enforcement of the Anti-Bullying law or Republic Act 10627 to ensure the safety of students in schools.

“Kasabay sa pag-angat ng kalidad ng edukasyon ang pagtiyak sa kaligtasan ng ating mga paaralan at mga mag-aaral,” Gatchalian said.

“Kung nais nating matiyak na magiging mahusay ang ating mga mag-aaral, mahalagang masugpo natin ang bullying at matiyak nating ligtas ang espasyo ng mga paaralan,” he added.

The senator cited a study conducted by De La Salle University Professor Dr. Allan Bernardo which called for measures to ensure the safety of learners.

The study noted that based on the results of the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment, poor readers have high exposure to bullying and a low sense of belonging.

Results of the PISA show that compared to their peers from other countries, Filipino learners are the most exposed to bullying.

Among the 15-year-olds who participated in the international large-scale assessment, 65 percent said they experienced bullying at least a few times a month.

PISA results further showed that learners who reported being threatened scored 56 points lower in Reading compared to those who had no or less frequent experiences.

Gatchalian also pointed to the important role of the Child Protection Committee at the school level in the prevention of bullying.

The senator said the DepEd should make sure that all schools have established their CPCs as mandated by DepEd Order No. 40 s. 2012.

He also called for the review of procedures such as immediate responses, reporting, fact-finding and documentation, intervention, and disciplinary measures.