Taguig, Pateros pilot DepEd project vs cyberbullying

Students bullied online now have a complaint desk also on cyberspace.

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday launched a mechanism where such concerns can be brought to the agency’s attention through confidential messages. DepEd could then act on the complaint by alerting concerned school officials.

The project is being piloted in the DepEd Taguig-Pateros (Tapat) division. “We are hoping it will serve as a deterrent. Students will know that in this division, if you bully someone even through the Internet, it will be known and the division office can monitor that,” said George Tizon, the division head for school operations and governance.

Under the program, the division office will also be establishing linkages with the proper authorities, including those in the telecommunications sector, should there be a need track down the source of false or damaging material used for bullying.

The E-Students Anti-Bullying Action Center—or E-Sabac—is considered a first in the country and will be initially tested in the division. Taguig currently has 13 public high schools and 23 public elementary schools, while Pateros has seven public elementary and three secondary schools.

According to Tizon, E-Sabac will actually have two “electronic desks” for this purpose: the DepEd Tapat E-Sabac Facebook page and the division page depedtaguigandpateros.com.

A student reporting a complaint should include details such as his or her school, the alleged campus bully, and a narrative of the harassment.

Tizon recalled that in 2014, at least three cases of cyberbullying were reported to the division office

—one in Pateros Catholic School, another in Fisher Valley College, and a third in St. Francis of Assisi College.

Earlier, the division ordered public schools under its jurisdiction to establish complaint desks manned by student leaders to help victims of bullying.

In September 2013, President Aquino signed Republic Act No. 10627 or “An Act Requiring All Elementary And Secondary Schools To Adopt Policies To Prevent And Address The Acts Of Bullying In Their Institutions.” With Celineff Palenzuela