BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance providing for the annual observance of the Bullying Prevention and Awareness month every October and providing funds for the said purpose.
The ordinance authored by Vice Mayor Edison R. Bilog stated that every October shall be declared and known as the ‘Bullying Prevention and Awareness month’ in the city.
The ordinance added the annual celebration aims at involving the community to take action to create a safe and supportive schools; providing information and education on preventing bullying; providing an avenue to hold school and community events in bullying; sharing information about the issue through the quad-media; reminding schools and parents as well as policy leaders about their roles in bullying prevention; promoting dialogue between educators, parents and students on their roles in addressing bullying; encouraging the different youth organizations to share information about their bullying prevention resources; inspiring everyone to unite for kindness, acceptance and inclusion and helping create a country without bullying, and the like.
The ordinance stipulates the activities during the celebration will be spearheaded and coordinated by the City Social Welfare and Development Office, Department of Education–Cordillera, DepEd–Division of City Schools, and the Association of Private School Administrators and that the activities may include but not limited to parades, forums, trainings or other undertakings to help broaden public consciousness about the purpose of the celebration as well as awareness on the relevant laws pertaining to anti-bullying and counselling services, such as one-on-one counselling, peer group counselling or family counselling within schools, especially for victims of bullying and organizations of student against bullying within schools.
Further, the ordinance tasked the City Social Welfare and Development Office to spearhead the coordination with other offices and regional line agencies in the implementation of the proposed local legislative measure.
The ordinance mandated the appropriation of P100,000 from the city government’s general fund for the implementation of the measure and the same shall be included in the annual budget of the City Social Welfare and Development Office.
However, the allocation may be adjusted to ensure the success of all the activities to be identified by the concerned offices tasked to implement the ordinance.
Republic Act (RA) 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act requires all schools to adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of bullying within their institutions.
In 2017, the local legislative body approved Ordinance No. 59, series of 2017 that seeks to prevent acts of bullying committed among students in the city.
The ordinance noted despite the existence of such legislations, reports of bullying still happen which warrants the awareness about the impact and effects of bullying among children and that the same must be increased.
The local government has continuously been advocating for the protection and safety of the children not only in schools but also in the community and should spearhead in the preparation of other activities that would protect their rights. By Dexter A. See
