FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
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FEB -7 P 1 :39 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORYJ;-J0TE 
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A safe and civil school environment is necessary for students to learn and achieve. 
However, a student development is hampered when there are incidents of violence, harassment 
and fear among students, most exemplified in cases of bullying. Bullying causes physical, 
psychological, and emotional harm to students and interferes with students' ability to learn and 
participate in school activities. It has also been linked t<; other forms of anti-social behavior, such 
as vandalism, shoplifting, skipping and dropping out of school, fighting, using drugs and alcohol, 
sexual harassment, and sexual violence. 
A new form of bullying is fast emerging with the advancements of technology. Cyber-
bullying happens in a realm where state power is weak and where very few laws are passed for 
regulation. This bill seeks to address the problem of bullying in cyberspace. 
This bill seeks to mandate and compel the schools to create a policy to address the 
existence of bullying and cyber-bullying in their! respective institutions. When there is 
institutional recognition of this power imbalance among students, there will be more and belter 
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venues to address incidents of bUllying. This also seeks"to instill the impOliance of anti-bullying 
measures in academic institutions and among school administrators. 
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A direct correlation with the reduction of bullying in.cidents is the increase in awareness and 
concern among school administrators of these incide1ts, and the positive action of providing 
venues for parents, faculty and school officials (0 report such incidents to the authorities. The 


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quest for equality among persons and the advancement of human rights start from basic 
education, where children learn the values of cura personalis and being men and women for 
others from their teachers and apply what they've learned to their classmates and friends. 
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This is the counterpart bill of HBN 2630 filed by Reps. Chirstopher Co, Rodel Batocabe 
and Alfredo Garbin, J r. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
MANDATING SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO CREATE ANTI-
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BULLYING POLICIES IN THEIR INSTITUTIONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repres(mtatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION I. Short Title - This Act shall be Known as "Anti-Bullying School Policy 
Act." 
SECTION 2. D~finition of Bullying - Bullying is committed when a minor student 
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commits a series of two or more acts directed towards another minor student, or a series of single 
acts directed towards several minor students in a school setting or a place of learning, with the 
intent to constitute harassment, intimidation, force or humiliation. Such acts consist of any or 
more of the following: 
a. 
Threats to a person with the infliction upon the person, honor or property of the 
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person or of his family or any wrong; 
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b. 
Stalking or constantly following or pursuing a person in his daily activities with 
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unwanted, obsessive attention; 
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c. 
Theft; 
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d. 
Public humiliation or public and malicious, imputation of a crime or of a vice of 
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defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstance 
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tending to cause the dishonor, discredit or contempt against a person; 
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e. 
Deliberate destruction, defacement or damage of another's property; 
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f. 
Physical violence committed upon a minor ,student, which mayor may not result to 
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harm or injury, with or without the aid of a weapon. Such violence may be in the 
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form of mauling, hitting, punching, kicking, throwing things at a student, pinching, 
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spanking, or other similar acts; 
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g. 
Demanding, requesting or requiring sexual or monetary favors, or demands property 
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from a minor student; and 
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h. 
Restraining the liberty and freedom of a minor student. 
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SEC. 3. Cyber-bullying - Cyber-bullying is any conduct defined in Section 2 of this Act 
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which are made tlu'ough electronic devices such as, 'bust are not limited to texting, instant 
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messaging, chatting, Internet and social networking websites. For purposes of this Act, the 
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phrase "acts of bullying" shall include the acts enumerated under Section 2 and Cyber-bullying 
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as defined under this Section. 
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SEC. 4. School policy - All schools, colleges or universities, whether public or private, 
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shall create a policy to address the existence of bullying in their respective institutions. Such 
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policy shall include but is not limited to the following provisions: 
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a. Process for addressing incidents of bullying in school; 
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b. Anonymous reporting of acts of bullying to teachers and school administrators, which 
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shall not, by itself, be a ground for disciplinary action; 
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c. Remedy which allows parents or guardian,S of students to file written reports of 
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suspected bullying; 
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d. Provisions requiring teachers and other school staff who witnessed acts of bullying or 
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received report of bullying to report the same to school administration; 
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e. Provi,ions requmng school administrators to investigate any reports on acts of 
bullying; 
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Inclusion of language in student codes of conduct concerning bullying; 
g. Notification of parents or guardians of students who committed or are victims of acts 
of bullying; and 
h. Maintenance of a public record of relevant information and statistics on acts of 
bullying in school, provided that the nam.es of students who committed acts of 
bullying shall be only made available to th~ school administration, teachers directly 
responsible for the said students and parents or guardians of students who are or have 
been victims of acts of bullying. 
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SEC. 5. Submission a/policy - Anti-bullying policies created pursuant to Sections 4 and 
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5 of this Act shall be submitted to the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher 
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Education (CI-lED) or the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), as 
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may be applicable, within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act for existing schools, 
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colleges and universities, and shall be an administrative requirement prior to the operation of 
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new schools, colleges and universities. 
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SEC. 6. Liability a/School Administration - DepEd, CHED and TESDA shall provide for 
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sanctions to school administrations who fail to comply with the requirements of this Act. 
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SEC. 7. Extra-institutional Recourse - DepEd, CHED and TESDA shall also provide [or 
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recourse to students who are victims of acts of bullying and/or their parents 01' guardians to 
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compel the school administration to act on their complaints on acts of bullying. 
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SEC. 8. Other Offenses Punishable by Law - This Act shall be without prejudice to other 
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criminal, civil or administrative remedies provided by la;v and shall not prevent the victims from 
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availing of the same independent of the remedies provided for in this Act. 
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SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts 
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thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are' hereby repealed, amended or modified 
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accordingly. 
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SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared to 
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be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected 
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thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
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its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
iapmj020411 
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