Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA R. SALVADOR-TAMBUNTING 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Office bullying is a persistent problem in workplaces. It is among the reasons for high turnover in 
workplaces. Office bullying could be in the form of physical harm; emotional and mental harm, 
profanity, name-calling; negative comments on how a person looks and dresses; cyber-bullying; 
spreading of rumors; false news; and gossip. More often than not, office bullying is overlooked 
and ignored by employers. In worse cases, employers or the management themselves takes part 
in bullying. This act not only negatively affects victims of bullying, it also affects the overall 
productivity of workplaces and often disrupts the delivery of much needed services for the public. 
This measure seeks to uphold every working Filipino’s dignity and to guarantee that there is 
respect of human rights in all work environments. This proposal seeks to expand protection 
against bullying in the workplace by requiring all government and non-government offices and 
establishments to adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of bullying and other similar acts 
in the workplace. This measure shall mandate offices to establish clear procedures and strategies 
to ensure that acts of bullying are reported and are penalized.  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the 
Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
JOY MYRA R. SALVADOR-TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
November 5, 2021
7:53 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA R. SALVADOR-TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT MANDATING THE ADOPTION OF ANTI-BULLYING POLICIES IN THE 
WORKPLACE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Office Bullying Act.” 
Sec. 2. Adoption of Anti-Office Bullying Policies. – All government and non-government 
offices, and business establishments, are hereby directed to adopt policies to address the 
existence of office bullying and other similar acts in their respective institutions. Such policies 
shall be regularly updated and at a minimum shall include provisions which: 
a) Prohibit following acts:
1. Office Bullying – any severe or repeated use by one or more employees of a written,
verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof,
directed at an employer, co-employee, or any person with whom he/she has professional
relations or dealings that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in
reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a
hostile work environment for the employer, co-employee, or any person with whom
he/she has professional relations or dealing; infringing on the rights of another at work
premises; or materially and substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the office;
such as, but not limited to, the following:
i.
Any act that causes physical or bodily harm;
ii.
Any act that causes harm to a victim’s psyche and/or emotional and/or moral
well-being;
iii.
Any slanderous statement or accusation that causes the victim undue
emotional distress like directing foul language or profanity at the target, name-
calling, tormenting and commenting negatively on victim’s looks, clothes and
body; and
iv.
Cyber-bullying or any bullying done through the use of technology or any
electronic means.
2. Any abusive acts or behavior which include but are not limited to the following:
i.
Offering, publishing, distributing, circulating and spreading rumors, false news
and information and gossip about, or any act against or direct against an
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employer, a co-employee, or any person with whom he/she has professional 
relations or dealings; 
ii. 
Disrespecting and devaluing an employer, a co-employee, or any person with 
whom he/ she has professional relations or dealings through disrespectful and 
devaluing language; 
iii. 
Management by threat and intimidation; 
iv. 
Stealing credit and taking unfair advantage of an employer, a co-employee, or 
any person with whom he/she has professional relations or dealings; 
v. 
Preventing access to workplace, career, and office opportunities to an 
employer, a co-employee, or any person with whom he/she has professional 
relations or dealings; and 
vi. 
An act or behavior shall be construed as abusive if it results to any or all of the 
following: 
1) Destroys or undermines the character, image status, reputation, morale, 
and credibility of an employer, a co- employee, or any person with whom 
he/she has professional relations/dealings; 
2) Discredits, destroys and undermines the work, results of the work, 
awards, career, vocation, craft, professional status, productivity, 
performance, and talents of an employer, a co-employee, or any person 
with whom he/she has professional relations or dealings; 
3) Causes divisive effects among employees, employers, officers, and other 
members of the government and non-government organizations, 
business establishments, their clientele, and any other person engaged 
by 
government 
and 
non-government 
organizations, 
business 
establishments in their respective professional capacities. 
b) Establish clear procedures and strategies for: 
1. Reporting acts prohibited under this Act; 
2. Responding promptly to and investigating reports of acts, which are prohibited under this 
Act; 
3. Ensuring the protection of the person who reports any of the prohibited acts, provides 
information during an investigation of the prohibited acts, or is witness to or has reliable 
information about any of the prohibited acts; 
c) Enable employees to anonymously report any of the prohibited acts: Provided, however, 
That no disciplinary administrative action shall be taken against a perpetrator solely on the 
basis of an anonymous report; and 
d) Subject the perpetrator/s who knowingly makes a false accusation to disciplinary 
administrative action. 
 
Sec. 3. Mechanisms to Address Office Bullying and/or other Prohibited Act. 
a) The administrative office or officer, human relations office or officer, or any person or office 
holding a comparable role shall be responsible for the implementation and oversight of 
policies intended to address office bullying and other prohibited acts; 
b) All government and non-government offices and business establishments shall provide their 
employees a copy of the policies being adopted. Such policies shall likewise be included in 
the employees' handbook and shall be conspicuously posted on the office walls and website, 
if there is any. 
c) Any employee shall immediately report any instance of office bullying and other prohibited 
acts witnessed, or that has come to one's attention, to the administrative office or officer, 


human relations office or officer, and/or any person or office holding a comparable role. 
Upon receipt of such report, the administrative office or officer, human relations office or 
officer, or any person or office holding a comparable role, shall promptly investigate. 
d) If it is determined that bullying and/or other prohibited acts have occurred, administrative 
office or officer, human relations office or officer, or any person or office holding a 
comparable role, shall: 
a. Notify the law enforcement agency if the administrative office or officer, human 
relations office or officer, and/or any person or office holding a comparable 
role believes that criminal charges under the Revise Penal Code may be pursued 
against the perpetrator; 
b. Take appropriate disciplinary administrative action. 
 
Sec. 4. Reportorial Requirements. –  
a) All non-government offices and business establishments shall inform the Department of 
Labor and Employment in writing about the policies against anti-office bullying and/or other 
prohibited acts formulated within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act. Such 
notification shall likewise be an administrative requirement prior to the operation, creation, 
or establishment of new non-government offices and business establishments. 
b) All government offices shall inform the Civil Service Commission in writing about the policies 
against office bullying and/or other prohibited acts formulated within six (6) months from 
the effectivity of this Act. 
 
Sec. 5. Sanction for Non-Compliance. – In the rules and regulations to be implemented 
pursuant to this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment and the Chairman 
of the Civil Service Commission shall prescribe the appropriate administrative sanctions on any 
administrative office or officer, human relations office or officer, or any person or office holding 
a comparable role, who shall fail to comply with the requirements under this Act. In addition 
thereto, erring non-government offices and business establishments shall likewise suffer the 
penalty of suspension of their permits to operate. 
 
Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity 
of this Act, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Civil Service Commission, 
respectively, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of 
this Act.  
 
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or unconstitutional, 
the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.  
 
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees or issuances, executive orders, letter 
of instructions, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.  
 
Sec. 9. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,