A party-list representative has proposed to provide penal provisions and expand the coverage of the anti-bullying law that would strengthen the campaign in dealing with instances of bullying.
Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-list Rep. Margarita “Migs” Nograles has filed House Bill 2886, otherwise known as the “Stop Bullying Act of 2022”.
Nograles, who is the House assistant majority leader, said the prevalence of bullying in the country over the years calls for more teeth to the anti-bullying law or the Republic Act No. 10627.
“Having established and equipped with national helpline through the passing of the Republic Act No. 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act on September 12, 2013, the prevalence of bullying in the country has not gotten down drastically,” Nograles said in her bill’s explanatory note.
She noted the fact that “at least 6 out of 10 students are being bullied, which is nearly 3 times higher compared to developed countries.”
Under the measure, Nograles proposed the expansion of the anti-bullying law to coverage workplaces and the internet apart from schools.
She said her proposal also seeks to cover all types of bullying across all genders and age groups and not just children.
According to the neophyte lawmaker, RA 10627 is already outdated and has not been an effective deterrent due to the lack of penal elements that can prevent acts of bullying.
The present anti-bullying law only mandates all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of bullying in their institutions and administrative sanctions are only imposable against school administrators who fail to comply while private schools may lose their permit to operate.
“This bill seeks to stop bullying by placing ‘Hammurabi’s Code’ on the law by attaching penalties and huge fines and create a more peaceful and tranquil environment for our children and human beings in general,” she added.
If the bill is enacted into law, it would impose criminal and civil liability for those who are found to have committed acts of bullying including adults or those who are in the age of majority or over 21 years old.
As a penal provision, the proposed law seeks to impose a jail term of six years and below, a fine, or both. For civil liability, the bill seeks to impose a fine of P50,000 but not more than P100,000 for those who are found guilty of bullying.
Under Nograles’ proposal, the following acts shall be considered acts of bullying:
a. “Any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim like punching, pushing, shoving, kicking, slapping, tickling, headlocks, inflicting excessive pranks, teasing, fighting, and the use of available objects as weapons;
b. Any act that causes damage to a victim’s psychological and/or emotional well-being;
c. 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 the victim’s looks, clothes, and body; and
d. Cyber-bullying is done through any conduct resulting in harassment, intimidation, or humiliation, through the use of other forms of technology, such as but not limited to texting, email, instant messaging, chatting, internet, social media, online games, other platforms or formats;
e. Gender-based bullying- any act that humiliates or excludes a person on the basis of perceived or actual sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, any act of retaliation against a person who reports bullying, who provides information during an investigation of bullying, or who is a witness to or has reliable information about bullying, is likewise prohibited.
f. Social Bullying- any deliberate, repetitive, and aggressive social behavior intended to hurt others or to belittle another individual or group.”