Marcos orders gov’t to prioritize tackling bullying in schools

Students and their teacher during class hours. —File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines —The government is working to address cyberbullying and bullying in schools in response to rising mental health problems among students, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in an ambush interview after he observed the opening of classes at the Epifanio delos Santos Elementary School in Manila.

Marcos said he had tasked various government agencies with addressing the top needs of students.

READ: Mental health issues linked to high college dropout rate

One of these priorities is addressing bullying, both online and in person.

“We are focusing on cyberbullying and other forms of bullying because they are becoming a major issue affecting children’s mental health. When bullying is present, students are unable to study properly,” he told reporters in Filipino.

Mental health issues are among the major reasons why college students drop out of school, former Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero de Vera III revealed at a Senate subcommittee on finance in October 2024.

READ: Lack of counselors, policies on bullying takes toll on learners

Meanwhile, a report from The Second Congressional Commission on Education last November said there were 10,018 Department of Education-run schools with “no localized antibullying policies” despite being required by Republic Act No. 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013. /atm