MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) is revising the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 to enhance efforts against bullying in schools nationwide.
In a statement on Friday (07 Feb 2025), DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized that the law has not been fully enforced across all public schools.
“It’s been over a decade since we helped craft this law in the Senate, and I’ve noticed that not all schools have adopted an anti-bullying policy,” Angara said.
The DepEd plans to collaborate with the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) to complete the IRR revisions by the start of the 2025-2026 academic year.
The revision aims to improve the monitoring of bullying incidents, ensure full compliance with the law, and strengthen the Learner Rights and Protection Office, which was established in 2022 to provide a platform for reporting bullying and violence. Angara also mentioned increasing the number of guidance counselors to better support students affected by bullying.
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