For years, bullying in schools, whether in public or private institutions, has remained a serious concern in the Philippines. Despite the presence of laws and policies such as the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 or Republic Act No. 10627 and various local ordinances designed to protect students, incidents of harassment, intimidation, and violence continue to occur. Educators and child advocates have long warned that bullying is not simply a disciplinary problem but a social issue that can have devastating emotional and psychological consequences for young people.
A recent tragedy has once again drawn attention to the issue after a case involving a student with a disability shocked the community. The incident highlights two urgent problems — the continuing prevalence of bullying in schools and the insufficient protection for persons with disabilities (PWDs), who remain among the most vulnerable members of society. Advocates say stronger policies and more vigilant enforcement are necessary to ensure that students with special needs are protected.
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Amid these concerns, Quezon City Councilor Alfred Vargas has called for a comprehensive review and amendment of the city’s Anti-Bullying Ordinance, citing what he described as the troubling rise of bullying cases in schools across Quezon City.
The Quezon City councilor also coordinated with the Quezon City Persons with Disability Affairs Office to closely examine reports of bullying and physical abuse allegedly directed at students with disabilities.
During a privilege speech before the city council, Vargas expressed grief and outrage over a reported tragedy involving a 15-year-old student with a seizure disorder who allegedly took his own life after enduring repeated physical and verbal abuse from classmates. Reports said the student was assaulted inside a school restroom while other students cheered, with the disturbing incident reportedly captured on CCTV.
“Layunin po nating marinig ang lahat ng mga stakeholders, mapanagot ang sinumang dapat mapanagot na may sala o may pagpapabaya na dahilan ng malungkot na pangyayaring ito. All sides should be heard. Only the truth shall be pursued,” Vargas said.
Following the speech, the Quezon City Council voted to conduct an investigation into the incident.
Vargas emphasized that the tragedy should prompt authorities to re-evaluate existing systems meant to protect students. Schools, he said, must remain safe spaces for learning rather than environments where violence and humiliation take place.
He also noted that bullying is not confined to a single type of institution, pointing out that such incidents occur in both public and private schools. Because of this, he said the local government must step in to ensure stronger safeguards are applied across the entire education sector.
“Hindi po pwedeng idahilan ang pagkakaroon ng ‘batang isip.’ This is a matter of life and death. Kaya naman nananawagan po ako sa ating lahat,” he said.
“Siyempre kasama sa pamumuno ng ating Mayor Joy Belmonte and Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, at nating lahat, ang ating mga kasamahan sa Sangguniang Panlungsod na muli po nating buksan at pagusapan ang Anti-Bullying Ordinance po natin. Maaaring kailangan na po natin itong paigtingin pa at mag-adjust sa panahon upang hindi na maulit ang mga ganitong klaseng kasawian,” Vargas added.
A particular concern raised by Vargas involves the vulnerability of students within the PWD community. By working with the city’s PDAO, he hopes to establish more specialized reporting channels and impose stricter penalties on those who target students with special needs.
The councilor also challenged school administrators and parents to become more proactive in addressing bullying rather than responding only after tragedy has already occurred.
“Sa pagbalangkas o sa pag amyenda ng ating ordinansa, itanong din natin kung ano ba talaga ang tungkulin ng mga magulang ng mga estudyante sa pag-report ng bullying. Ano ang role, ang papel ng mga magulang kung yung anak nila ang binubully? Lalo na, anong role ng magulang kung yung anak nila yung nambubully? Napakahalaga po ng papel ng magulang sa usaping ito,” Vargas stressed.
He concluded by calling on the public to help break the culture of silence that often surrounds bullying cases.
Upon research, Random Republika chanced upon these old videos uploaded years ago (one was published 14 years ago) where Vargas has long advocated for persons with disability. We hope the plans to uplift them given the current situation will come into fruition.
“Nananawagan po ako sa ating lahat na maging mas mapagmalasakit sa ating kapwa. Spread kindness. At siyempre, maging mapagmatyag at maagap sa pag-report sa mga insidente ng pang-aabuso at pambubully. Wala pong pamilya ang dapat makaranas ng ganitong pighati dahil sa bullying,” Vargas said.
