DAVAO CITY – Davao City recorded 299 bullying cases in May, involving 98 male and 201 female victims, with children aged 14-years-old and below accounting for the highest number of reported cases, the city's Teen Crisis Center said.
While the figures are lower than the 5,728 cases recorded in 2025, which involved 2,336 male and 3,392 female victims, Councilor Lorenzo Villafuerte said the numbers highlight the need to fully implement the city's Anti-Bullying Ordinance.
By approving the proposed ordinance's implementing rules and regulations and activating the Anti-Bullying Council, the chairperson of the Committee on Social Services said the city can strengthen its response to bullying cases.
Villafuerte said the ordinance remains enforceable even without its IRR, but acknowledged that several key mechanisms have yet to be activated, limiting the city's ability to implement its monitoring and intervention measures fully.
"One of the main functions of the ordinance is the creation of the Anti-Bullying Council, which can monitor schools with unresolved bullying cases," Villafuerte said. "At present, however, the council has not yet convened."
He said the data prompted him to request a breakdown of bullying cases by barangay and district to identify areas requiring immediate intervention.
The information, Villafuerte said, will guide recommendations to the City Social Welfare and Development Office and the City Mayor's Office for appropriate planning and intervention.
He added that the ordinance provides for the establishment of Anti-Bullying Protection Desks in every barangay, where victims may report incidents if schools or workplaces fail to resolve complaints.
"Once we finalize the IRR and allocate the necessary budget, these protection desks can serve as our monitoring mechanism and help the Anti-Bullying Council identify schools with recurring unresolved cases," he said.
Villafuerte emphasized that the ordinance prioritizes rehabilitation rather than punishment, particularly for children involved in bullying.
"Our objective is not to punish children but to help reform them," Villafuerte said. "Counseling is required not only for victims but also for bullies because many of them are also experiencing problems at home."
Villafuerte confirmed that a draft IRR has been submitted to the City Social Welfare and Development Office for review. He said the draft is largely based on the national anti-bullying law and, once approved, will allow the city to fully enact the ordinance.
Councilor Antoinette Principe, chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science, and Technology, also proposed intensifying information campaigns during Bullying Prevention Month in October to remind schools of their responsibilities in preventing bullying.
Beyond schools, Principe encouraged both public and private employers to voluntarily adopt anti-bullying policies, noting that the country has no national law specifically addressing workplace bullying.
She also said that while Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, emphasizes rehabilitation for children in conflict with the law, evolving social conditions may warrant a national-level review of the legislation.
"Here in Davao, we want to remain protective and proactive," Principe said. "Our goal is to intervene early so children do not end up committing crimes. Our approach is restorative rather than punitive."
Villafuerte supported introducing workplace anti-bullying policies within city government offices, saying the local government should lead by example in promoting safe and respectful workplaces.