Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday, April 23, urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to strengthen its child protection programs.

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, made the call following reports of sexual harassment involving faculty members of the Far Eastern University (FEU) high school, which earlier went viral on social media platforms.

Some students recently shared via Twitter their recollection of how they were sexually harassed by some of their male teachers before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gatchalian called on the FEU high school administration to hold the perpetrators accountable for their misconduct and also urged education institutions to ensure the enforcement of child protection programs to protect students.

He said schools should have zero tolerance for any form of abuse or predatory behavior.

“Walang lugar sa ating mga paaralan ang ano mang uri ng pang-aabuso sa ating mga kabataan (Any kind of abuse against our young people should not be allowed in our schools),” Gatchalian said.

“Hindi natin dapat hinahayaang patuloy na nakakapambiktima ang mga nasa likod ng ganitong mga insidente ng pang-aabuso o karahasan sa ating mga mag-aaral na dapat sana ay pinananatili nilang ligtas (Our school authorities should not tolerate those behind this kind of incident of abuse and violence perpetrated against our students whom we are trying to protect),” said Gatchalian.

Gatchalian also pointed out that DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012 dictates that both public and private elementary and secondary schools must create Child Protection Committees (CPCs), which will be in charge of providing mechanisms to address cases of exploitation and abuse.

CPCs are required to create child protection policies, identify learners who may be experiencing abuse and exploitation, and reporting of cases involving child abuse.

The said committees are also expected to coordinate with the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Desk (PNP-WCPD), the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO), other government agencies, and non-government organizations.