To ensure the effective enforcement of the newly released Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, a teachers' group on Wednesday, August 6, urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement critical structural reforms—starting with smaller class sizes and the hiring of sufficient guidance counselors and support staff.

While the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines welcomed the updated IRR as a step toward safer learning environments, the group warned that the policy risks falling short without addressing long-standing issues such as teacher workload, chronic understaffing, and the shortage of mental health professionals in schools.

“Safe schools are not built through policy alone,” said ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua. “They are built by investing in the welfare of teachers, empowering support staff, and ensuring that every child—regardless of background—can thrive in a caring, well-equipped environment,” he added.

ACT noted that while the revised anti-bullying guidelines are a positive development, the absence of support systems means that teachers will once again be burdened with responsibilities beyond their capacity.

ACT highlighted that the national average of one guidance counselor per 14,000 students remains far from the international recommendation of one per 250.

The group called for the immediate hiring of guidance counselors, learner support aides, and school nurses to provide the psychosocial interventions needed to address bullying in schools.

“These professionals are crucial to ensuring that anti-bullying protocols are grounded in real psychosocial support—not merely administrative compliance,” ACT said.

ACT also raised concerns over the continued tendency to assign new tasks to teachers without reducing their existing workload or providing clear operational guidelines.

The group pointed out that many teachers are already overwhelmed by non-teaching duties, making it difficult to take on additional responsibilities under the revised anti-bullying policy.

“Teachers are already stretched thin, performing multiple non-teaching tasks on top of their instructional duties,” ACT said. “Without adequate education support personnel and clear protections on workload, these new responsibilities—no matter how well-intentioned—risk being passed on to teachers who are already overburdened,” the group added.

To address this, ACT renewed its call for the passage of the long-delayed Teacher Protection Bill, which seeks to establish legal safeguards for educators, especially in bullying-related incidents where they may face complaints or liabilities despite acting in good faith.

ACT warned that infrastructure and capacity gaps—particularly in rural areas—continue to undermine safe learning environments.

“Many schools, particularly in remote areas, still lack functional private counseling spaces and access to even the most basic digital tools,” ACT said. “Without addressing these disparities, the implementation of the revised IRR may remain uneven and ineffective,” the group added.

ACT noted that many schools still lack mental health programs and digital access—essentials for fully implementing the new IRR. The group called on DepEd to ensure that resources are equitably distributed, especially to geographically isolated and disadvantaged schools.

ACT also reminded DepEd that bullying extends beyond peer-related issues, citing forms of institutional and political harassment, such as the red-tagging of teachers and students.

The group urged the agency to stand against any form of vilification based on beliefs or advocacies.

“We reiterate that schools must also be protected from state-sponsored red-tagging and repression,” Quetua said. “DepEd must guarantee that its anti-bullying commitment extends to defending teachers and students against vilification based on their beliefs, affiliations, or advocacies,” he added.

ACT urged DepEd to issue “clear and comprehensive guidelines” that delineate the roles and responsibilities of teachers and support personnel under the revised IRR.

“It is essential that the burden of implementation does not fall disproportionately on teachers, who are already managing excessive workloads,” ACT said.

The group called on DepEd to:

- Reduce class sizes to improve classroom management and individualized attention;

- Hire enough guidance counselors and mental health professionals in line with global standards;

- Deploy sufficient education support personnel to assist in implementation and reduce the burden on teachers;

- Enact the Teacher Protection Bill to ensure legal safeguards for educators; and 

- Invest in infrastructure, training, and school-based mental health programs to make policies effective on the ground.