Mandaue police to help bullying victims

PUPILS and students in Mandaue City who experience bullying should ask for police assistance.

Police Assistance Centers located in 49 public schools in the city have been instructed to attend to bullying cases.

City Director of Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), Senior Supt. Petronelli Baldebrin revealed that bullying of students should be prevented.

“There will be students who will experience bullying, that is why we are encouraging them to report to our assistance centers,” he added.

But since children are exempt from any criminal liability, what the MCPO will do is to endorse the case to the administration.

There are several proposed legislative measures that seek to address the rampant problem of bullying in schools like House Bill 5496 in the 15th Congress that if passed into law would “require all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of bullying in their institutions.”

Meanwhile, Baldebrin said the MCPO is also strengthening its security operations in department stores, malls and in the North Bus Terminal (NBT).

Last minute school supplies shopping is expected to increase the influx of people in malls and department stores. Students returning from the province are also expected to crowd the NBT in barangay Subangdaku. /Jucell Marie P. Cuyos, Reporter