Padilla says slight physical bullying ‘OK’

Sen. Robinhood C. Padilla during one of the Senate’s hearings on February 6, 2023. File photo Senate PRIB / Voltaire F. Domingo

MANILA, Philippines — Slight physical bullying is “OK,” and mental torture must be addressed first, Senator Robin Padilla said on Monday.

Padilla even said that physical torture has helped him in life.

“‘Yun pong physical bullying para po sa akin, kayang i-handle ‘yun. Ang hindi po kayang i-handle ‘yung mental kasi ‘yun po ang mabigat. Para sa akin, ngayon ‘yun po ang nararanasan ng ating mga kabataan, ‘yung mental torture,” he said during the Senate committee on basic education hearing on the implementation of the Anti-Bullying Act implementation.

(Physical bullying is manageable for me. Mental bullying cannot be addressed. Mental bullying is what kids face today.)

“Physical torture — sorry po pero — para sa akin, nakatulong pa ‘yun para ako’y maging — ‘di naman po sa usapin lamang ng humarap sa buhay — palagay ko mga 20 percent, 30 percent nakatulong pa ‘yun. Pero ‘yung mental bullying, siguro po ‘yun po ang dapat nating harapin at kung anuman po siguro ‘yung physical bullying ‘pag umabot na sigurong gusto ka nang patayin, ‘yun na ‘yun. Pero ‘yung kadyot kadyot lang diyan, ok lang ‘yun,” he pointed out.

(Physical torture — sorry, but — for me, helped me 20 percent, 30 percent in life. But, mental bullying, maybe we should address that first. If physical bullying reaches a point where a bully wants to kill you, that’s it. But little physical torture is OK.)

The neophyte senator said that physical bullying might be underreported, recalling that when he was in school, bullying was not reported to school authorities as the bullied would be called “sumbungero” or a tattletale.

He added that bullies are usually a child of rich parents or a politician. Hence, teachers are afraid to discipline them.

“Siguro magkaroon ng po talaga ng initiative ang teacher na harapin ang mga bully na ‘yan. ‘Di nalilihim ‘yan. Popular sa paaralan kung sino ang nang-aasar,” Padilla said.

(Maybe teachers should have the initiative to face bullies. That is not a secret. Bullies are known in school.)

“Walang bolahan ito, kung sino talaga ang makukulit at mayayabang ‘yan po talaga ang may kapit,” he went on.

(No bluffing; naughty and boastful children have a connection with influential people.)

During the hearing, senators learned that 65 percent, or 17.5 million learners, have experienced bullying.

JPV/abc