Bullying in schools is addressed in the Philippines through a mix of (1) mandatory school-based procedures under the Anti-Bullying Act and DepEd policies, and (2) external legal remedies—administrative, civil, and (in serious cases) criminal—depending on what happened, the ages of the parties, and the evidence available. This article explains the full landscape in Philippine practice.

1) What counts as bullying in the Philippine school setting

A. Core definition (school-based)

Under Philippine school rules, bullying is generally understood as severe or repeated use of a written, verbal, electronic, or physical act (or gesture) directed at a student that results in any of the following:

physical or emotional harm
damage to property
hostile school environment
infringement of rights
substantial disruption of school operations

Bullying often involves a power imbalance (e.g., older/stronger student, group versus one, social status, or control over embarrassing content).

B. Common forms

Physical bullying: hitting, kicking, spitting, tripping, “hazing,” taking/ruining belongings, confinement.
Verbal bullying: insults, slurs, threats, humiliating remarks, sexual comments.
Social/relational bullying: exclusion, rumor-spreading, public shaming, coercion, “dogpiling.”
Cyberbullying: posts, messages, group chats, fake accounts, doxxing, sharing photos/videos without consent, deep humiliation clips, “GC raids,” impersonation.
Sexual bullying / gender-based harassment: unwanted sexual remarks, body shaming, spreading sexual rumors, sharing intimate images, homophobic/transphobic harassment.

C. Who can be involved

Student-on-student is the classic case.
Bullying-like conduct may also involve teachers or school personnel (then it may be treated as child abuse, harassment, or administrative misconduct, not only “bullying”).
Acts may occur on campus, in school activities, school transport, and online when they affect the student’s school life or environment.

2) Primary law and policy framework

A. Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (Republic Act No. 10627)

RA 10627 requires elementary and secondary schools (public and private) to:

adopt an anti-bullying policy
establish reporting and response procedures
provide interventions (not only punishment)
implement due process in discipline
document and report certain incidents as required by education authorities

Important: RA 10627 is mainly a school-governance law. It does not automatically create a stand-alone “crime of bullying,” but bullying acts may separately be criminal, civilly actionable, or administratively punishable.

B. DepEd implementing rules and child protection policy

For basic education, DepEd rules operationalize how schools must handle:

intake of reports
investigation
documentation
referral pathways
protection of the child
disciplinary procedures consistent with child rights

DepEd’s Child Protection Policy (commonly applied to abuse, violence, exploitation, discrimination, and bullying) is often used alongside the Anti-Bullying Act.

C. Other laws that can apply depending on facts

RA 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act) — can apply to acts causing physical/psychological harm or cruelty.
RA 11313 (Safe Spaces Act) — covers gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces, online, workplaces, and educational/training institutions; can overlap with sexual bullying and online harassment.
RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act) — can cover cyber-related offenses (e.g., cyber libel, illegal access, certain online threats/harassment patterns depending on conduct).
Revised Penal Code — physical injuries, threats, grave coercion, unjust vexation (or similar nuisance-type offenses), slander/oral defamation, libel (with cyber variants when online).
RA 9995 (Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act) — for recording/sharing intimate images without consent.
RA 10173 (Data Privacy Act) — for misuse of personal data (doxxing can implicate privacy violations depending on who processed/เผย disclosed and how).
Family Code / Civil Code — damages and liability rules involving parents and schools.

3) What schools are legally required to do

A. Maintain a written anti-bullying policy (not optional)

A compliant policy typically includes:

definitions and prohibited acts (including cyberbullying)
where and how to report (multiple channels)
immediate safety and protective measures
investigation process and timelines
discipline options (age-appropriate, non-abusive)
intervention/counseling plans
anti-retaliation and confidentiality rules
recording/documentation duties
referral to external authorities when warranted

B. Provide accessible reporting mechanisms

Schools are expected to accept reports from:

the victim
parents/guardians
classmates/bystanders
teachers/personnel

Reports should not be dismissed because the victim “didn’t fight back,” “is sensitive,” or “it happened online.”

C. Act immediately to protect the student

Even before the investigation finishes, a school should implement interim protective measures, such as:

separating schedules/seating
no-contact directives
supervision changes
safe routes / buddy system
guidance monitoring
temporary activity restrictions
anti-retaliation warnings

The guiding standard is child safety first.

D. Conduct a fair investigation (due process)

While child protection is paramount, schools must still observe fairness:

notify parents/guardians of involved students when appropriate
allow each side to be heard
consider documentary evidence (screenshots, CCTV, witness accounts)
avoid public shaming or “forced apologies” that endanger the victim

E. Impose appropriate discipline + interventions

In Philippine practice, schools are expected to combine:

accountability (discipline under the student handbook)
corrective interventions (behavior contracts, counseling, empathy training, restorative processes when safe)
support for the victim (counseling, academic accommodations if needed)

Discipline should not be abusive, discriminatory, or humiliating.

F. Document and report as required

Proper documentation matters because it:

protects the child
creates a paper trail if escalation is necessary
supports accountability for school failures

4) When the school fails: the “school duties” angle as a remedy

If bullying continues or the school mishandles the case, remedies can focus on school negligence or noncompliance, for example:

refusing to accept or record reports
blaming the victim or pressuring withdrawal
failing to separate students or stop retaliation
“settling” through forced apologies while harm continues
ignoring cyberbullying that clearly affects school environment
failing to enforce its own handbook and policy

Potential consequences for schools/personnel can include:

administrative complaints (e.g., against school officials/teachers for neglect of duty, misconduct, or child protection violations)
possible regulatory action affecting permits/compliance status (especially for private schools under oversight)

5) Legal options outside the school

Bullying situations vary from “discipline-only” incidents to serious violence or sexual abuse. Philippine remedies fall into three main lanes: administrative, civil, and criminal/quasi-criminal (including juvenile processes).

A. Administrative remedies

Escalation within the school
- written complaint to class adviser → guidance → principal/school head → child protection committee (or equivalent).
- request written incident reports and the school’s action plan.
Complaint to education authorities
- For DepEd-covered schools: complaints may be elevated to the Schools Division Office (and higher as needed).
- This is useful when the issue is school inaction, procedural violations, or staff misconduct.
Professional/employee accountability
- If a teacher or personnel is involved, this can trigger disciplinary proceedings under civil service/DepEd rules (public) or HR/labor processes (private), plus child protection protocols.

B. Civil remedies (money damages + protective court relief)

Even if no criminal case is filed (or even if it is), civil law may allow claims for:

actual damages (therapy, medical bills, tutoring, transfer costs)
moral damages (emotional suffering, anxiety, humiliation)
exemplary damages (in certain aggravated cases)
attorney’s fees (in proper cases)

Key civil law concepts often used:

Quasi-delict / negligence (fault-based liability)
Human relations provisions (acts contrary to morals/good customs/public policy; willful injury)
Privacy-related claims (intrusion, public disclosure)
Vicarious/special liability:
- Parents can be liable for acts of minor children in many situations.
- Schools/teachers/administrators can have special parental authority and responsibility over minors under their supervision and may be liable if negligence is shown, subject to defenses like due diligence.

Civil cases can be paired with requests for injunctive-type relief (court orders to stop harassment) depending on the legal basis and forum, though the specifics depend heavily on facts and counsel strategy.

C. Criminal and related remedies (when conduct crosses legal thresholds)

Bullying may constitute criminal offenses, particularly when there is:

physical injury
credible threats
coercion/extortion
sexual misconduct
defamation
privacy/recording violations
severe or systematic psychological harm (fact-dependent; can implicate child protection statutes)

Common charges considered in practice (depending on evidence):

Physical injuries (Revised Penal Code)
Grave threats / light threats (Revised Penal Code)
Grave coercion (Revised Penal Code)
Unjust vexation or similar nuisance-type offenses (fact-dependent; legal framing varies)
Slander (oral defamation) / Libel (and cyber libel when online)
RA 9995 for non-consensual recording/sharing of intimate images
RA 7610 for child abuse/cruelty/exploitation/discrimination contexts
RA 11313 for gender-based sexual harassment in educational settings and online components

Juvenile Justice: what if the bully is a minor?

If the alleged offender is a child, the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (RA 9344, as amended) governs:

15 years old and below: generally exempt from criminal liability, but subject to intervention programs.
Above 15 up to below 18: liability depends on discernment, with emphasis on diversion, rehabilitation, and child-appropriate proceedings.
This does not mean “no consequences.” It often means consequences occur through diversion/intervention, not ordinary incarceration.

6) Cyberbullying: evidence and legal hooks

Cyberbullying cases often succeed or fail based on documentation.

A. Evidence checklist (do this early)

screenshots showing URL, username, date/time
screen recordings that show navigation from profile → post → comments
preserved chat exports (where possible)
copies forwarded to an email/cloud folder (to avoid phone loss)
witness statements (classmates who saw posts/messages)
school incident reports and communications
medical/psych reports if harm is documented

B. Practical legal angles for online acts

Defamation (libel/cyber libel) if false imputations damage reputation
Threats/coercion if messages are intimidating or extorting
Privacy violations if sensitive personal data is exposed (doxxing may implicate privacy/data rules depending on who disclosed and how)
Voyeurism law if intimate imagery is involved
Safe Spaces law if gender-based harassment or sexual humiliation is involved

7) Step-by-step playbook for victims and parents

Step 1: Secure immediate safety

If there’s imminent harm (violence, stalking, sexual threats), prioritize safety:

keep the child accompanied
inform the school to separate parties immediately
consider contacting local authorities when necessary

Step 2: Report in writing to the school

Give a short, factual narrative:

who, what, when, where, how
names of witnesses
attach evidence (screenshots, photos)
request interim protection and a written action plan

Step 3: Demand documentation and timelines

Ask for:

acknowledgment of receipt
incident report number/log entry (if used)
schedule of interviews/investigation steps
interim measures (no-contact, seat changes, supervision)

Step 4: Escalate if the response is weak

Escalation options:

principal/school head
child protection committee (or equivalent)
division/regional education offices if applicable (especially for school noncompliance)

Step 5: Consider external legal action if thresholds are met

You generally consider external filing when:

serious physical injury occurred
sexualized conduct exists
credible threats/extortion exist
repeated harassment continues despite school action
the school is systematically refusing to protect the child
reputational damage is severe and documented

Step 6: Protect the child’s academic standing

Request accommodations if needed:

deadline extensions
class transfers
alternative attendance arrangements (temporary)
counseling and reintegration support
anti-retaliation monitoring

8) Remedies when the bully is a teacher or school personnel

If the aggressor is an adult in authority, the legal framing often shifts from “bullying” to child abuse/harassment/misconduct, with stronger consequences.

Possible tracks:

immediate child protection report within the school system
administrative case (public service rules or private school HR + regulatory oversight)
criminal complaint where acts amount to physical harm, sexual harassment/abuse, threats, coercion, or cruelty
civil damages

Schools have heightened duties because of the adult’s position of trust.

9) Common pitfalls that weaken cases

relying only on verbal reports with no preserved evidence (especially online)
deleting messages/posts before capturing metadata
confronting aggressors in ways that trigger retaliation or “mutual combat” narratives
accepting vague “we’ll handle it” assurances without written actions
allowing “settlement” that silences the victim while bullying continues
letting the situation drag on without escalation

10) Frequently asked questions

“Is bullying automatically a crime?”

Not automatically. The Anti-Bullying Act primarily mandates school processes. But many bullying acts can be crimes under other laws depending on what was done.

“What if it happened off-campus or online?”

If it creates a hostile school environment or disrupts schooling, it can still trigger school duties and, depending on the act, external legal remedies.

“Can parents be liable for their child’s bullying?”

They can be, especially in civil cases, subject to legal standards and defenses. Liability questions are fact-specific.

“Can the school be liable?”

Yes—particularly if there’s evidence of negligence, failure to follow required procedures, or failure to act despite notice.

“Will filing a case ruin my child’s record?”

Schools should protect confidentiality, and child protection rules discourage retaliation. Still, strategy matters: many families begin with robust school documentation and escalate only when necessary.

11) Practical “minimum outcomes” to request from schools

When you report, it’s reasonable to ask the school for:

immediate safety plan (separation, supervision, no-contact)
written acknowledgment and incident record
investigation steps and timeline
counseling/support for the victim
proportionate discipline/intervention for the aggressor
anti-retaliation measures
monitoring and follow-up schedule

12) Final note

Bullying cases are won through (1) rapid documentation, (2) clear written reporting, (3) insistence on protective measures, and (4) choosing the right legal lane—school discipline, administrative complaint, civil damages, criminal/juvenile action, or a combination.

If you want, paste a redacted summary of the incident (ages/grade level, what happened, where it happened, and whether there are screenshots or medical records). I can map it to the most realistic school duties and legal options, and outline the strongest next steps.