1) What counts as “workplace bullying” and “verbal abuse” in practice

The Philippines does not have a single, general “Workplace Anti-Bullying Act” covering all private-sector workplaces the way some countries do. Even so, many bullying and verbal-abuse situations are actionable through a patchwork of labor, civil, criminal, and special laws—depending on the facts.

A. Common forms seen in workplaces

Workplace bullying/verbal abuse typically includes patterns such as:

Insults, humiliation, shouting, name-calling, ridicule, profanity directed at a worker
Threats (job threats, physical threats, threats to ruin reputation)
Persistent belittling, “public shaming,” degrading messages in chats
Gaslighting, intimidation, hostile outbursts, aggressive micromanagement designed to degrade
Exclusion/isolation, sabotage of work, setting someone up to fail, unfair targeting
Online harassment (group chats, posts, DMs), especially when sexual or gender-based

B. One-off incident vs. pattern

Legally, one incident can still matter—especially if it involves:

Threats, coercion, defamatory statements, sexual harassment, discrimination, or violence; or
Serious insults causing harm, or leading to constructive dismissal/mental harm.

But patterns are often crucial for labor cases (e.g., hostile environment leading to resignation).

C. Management prerogative vs abuse

Philippine law recognizes management’s right to supervise and discipline, but it does not permit:

Cruelty, humiliation as a “management style”
Arbitrary and discriminatory targeting
Abusive conduct that violates dignity, safety, and good faith

2) The Philippine legal framework (the “toolbox”)

Because there is no single bullying statute, remedies usually come from five major sources:

Labor and employment law (Labor Code, DOLE mechanisms, NLRC jurisprudence)
Special laws on harassment and gender-based violence (notably RA 7877 and RA 11313)
Civil law (damages for abuse of rights, acts contra bonos mores, privacy/dignity violations, negligence)
Criminal law (defamation, threats, coercion, unjust vexation, etc.)
Administrative law (especially for government employees under Civil Service rules)

Your best remedy depends on: who did what, how often, what harm resulted, and what evidence exists.

3) Labor law remedies (private sector): the most common route

A. Internal workplace remedies (often step 1)

Even before external filing, use:

Company Code of Conduct, anti-harassment policy, grievance procedures
HR investigations, incident reporting channels, ethics hotlines
Requests for protective measures (schedule adjustments, change in reporting line, no-contact directives)

Why this matters: it creates a paper trail and shows good faith. It can also support claims later if the employer did nothing.

B. DOLE’s SEnA (Single Entry Approach)

For many workplace disputes, the DOLE encourages early settlement through SEnA. This can address:

Separation disputes, money claims, some employment concerns
Sometimes harassment-related employment consequences (e.g., forced resignation)

C. NLRC/Labor Arbiter cases: constructive dismissal and related claims

Bullying and verbal abuse often become labor cases when they lead to:

Constructive dismissal (you resign because continued employment is unbearable due to employer-created hostility)
Illegal dismissal (termination connected to retaliation or improper “cause”)
Unjust disciplinary actions used as tools for harassment

Constructive dismissal in practice is commonly supported by facts like:

Repeated verbal abuse, humiliation, or threats by a superior
Unfair targeting or impossible workloads aimed to force resignation
Demotion or drastic changes coupled with hostility
Retaliation after complaints (sidelining, unwarranted memos)

Possible labor claims/remedies:

Reinstatement (in some cases) or separation pay in lieu
Backwages
Payment of final pay, unpaid benefits, commissions, overtime, etc.
Damages in appropriate cases (often pleaded alongside other relief)

D. Employer duty to provide a safe workplace (OSH angle)

Employers have obligations under occupational safety and health laws and regulations to provide a safe working environment. While OSH rules historically emphasize physical safety, modern workplace safety increasingly includes psychosocial risks—especially when harassment or violence is present. A failure to address known abusive behavior can be used to show employer fault or bad faith.

E. Employer liability and “failure to act”

Even if the bully is a co-worker, an employer may face exposure when it:

Knew or should have known of harassment/bullying, and
Failed to prevent, investigate, or correct it
Allowed retaliation

Employer inaction can strengthen labor claims and civil damages theories.

4) Special laws that directly cover harassment (often the strongest legal anchor)

A. Sexual Harassment (RA 7877 – Anti-Sexual Harassment Act)

If the verbal abuse includes sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or sexual conduct that affects employment conditions or creates a hostile environment, RA 7877 can apply—especially where there is:

Authority, influence, or moral ascendancy (common with supervisors)
Conditioning of benefits on sexual favors; or
Hostile/abusive environment rooted in sexual conduct

Employers typically must:

Prevent and deter sexual harassment
Provide procedures for resolution and sanctions

B. Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313) – gender-based sexual harassment

RA 11313 broadened coverage beyond classic “quid pro quo.” It covers gender-based sexual harassment in:

Streets and public spaces
Workplaces
Educational/training institutions
Online spaces (gender-based online sexual harassment)

Workplace relevance:

Sexist slurs, sexually charged insults, unwanted sexual remarks
Homophobic/transphobic harassment (depending on facts)
Repeated sexual jokes, comments about body/appearance, sexual rumors
Online harassment with gender/sexual content

RA 11313 also pushes workplaces to adopt policies, designate persons or mechanisms to handle complaints, and impose sanctions. Where applicable, this law can be a direct and powerful remedy.

C. Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710) and anti-discrimination principles

If abuse is tied to sex, pregnancy, marital status, or gender-based discrimination, RA 9710 and related rules/policies can support claims.

D. Other discrimination-related protections

Depending on the workplace and facts, harassment connected to protected characteristics can implicate:

Disability-related protections (including reasonable accommodation frameworks)
Age-related protections
HIV-related confidentiality protections (if the abuse involves status disclosure)
Other sector-specific rules

Even when there is no single “anti-bullying” statute, discrimination-linked harassment can shift the case from “rude behavior” into unlawful conduct.

5) Criminal law remedies for verbal abuse and bullying conduct

Criminal remedies apply where the conduct meets elements of specific offenses. Common candidates:

A. Defamation: Oral Defamation (Slander) and Libel

Oral defamation (slander): spoken statements that dishonor a person (e.g., calling someone a thief, immoral, incompetent with malicious intent)
Libel: written/printed/public statements (emails, memos, chat posts, social media) that damage reputation
Cyberlibel: if committed through computer systems/online platforms under cybercrime law concepts

Key issues:

Truth is not always a full defense unless made with good motives and for justifiable ends (defamation law is technical).
Defamation cases are evidence-heavy and can escalate conflict; they also raise risks of counter-claims.

B. Threats and coercion

If the bully says or implies harm:

Physical harm (“I’ll hurt you”)
Harm to property
Harm to reputation through unlawful means
Coercion can apply when someone is forced to do something against their will through intimidation

C. Unjust vexation / similar “annoyance” offenses

Persistent harassment that causes distress but doesn’t neatly fit other crimes sometimes gets framed as unjust vexation-type conduct (terminology and charging practice depend on prosecutors and current jurisprudence). This is often used when the behavior is clearly oppressive but not defamatory or threatening in a technical sense.

D. Other possible offenses depending on the act

Grave scandal / alarms and scandals (rare in workplace settings, fact-specific)
Physical injuries (if it escalates to violence)
Intriguing against honor (in narrow circumstances)
Violation of special laws (e.g., harassment under RA 11313 or RA 7877 mechanisms)

Practical note: Criminal complaints generally go through:

Complaint-affidavit filing with the prosecutor’s office
Preliminary investigation (for many offenses)
Potential mediation/settlement contexts depending on the case

6) Civil law remedies: suing for damages (often paired with labor or criminal actions)

Civil actions can be powerful where bullying/verbal abuse causes measurable harm (mental anguish, reputational harm, career damage). Common legal bases:

A. Abuse of rights and bad faith (Civil Code)

Philippine civil law recognizes liability for acts that violate:

Standards of justice, good faith, and fairness
Abuse of rights principles This supports damages when someone acts oppressively or maliciously.

B. Acts contrary to morals / dignity (quasi-delict and related provisions)

Civil Code provisions on human relations and respect for dignity/privacy can support claims where conduct is:

Willfully injurious
Unreasonable and humiliating
Invasion of privacy (outing personal information, spreading rumors, doxxing)

C. Negligence / quasi-delict (Civil Code)

If harm results from negligent conduct, or from an employer’s negligent supervision.

D. Employer’s vicarious liability (Civil Code concepts)

Employers can be held liable for employees’ acts in certain contexts—especially if they failed in supervision or the acts were connected to assigned functions. Whether vicarious liability applies depends heavily on facts and jurisprudence.

E. Types of damages that may be claimed

Moral damages (mental anguish, serious anxiety, humiliation)
Exemplary damages (to deter particularly egregious conduct, when allowed)
Actual damages (medical expenses, therapy costs, lost income if provable)
Attorney’s fees (in proper cases)

Civil actions require strong documentation of harm and causation (e.g., medical/psychological consults, work impact).

7) Public sector: administrative remedies (government employees)

If the bully is in government service, remedies often include:

Filing administrative complaints under Civil Service rules (e.g., conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, discourtesy, grave misconduct, abuse of authority—depending on facts)
Complaints through internal disciplinary bodies and grievance committees
Sexual harassment complaints via mandated mechanisms
Parallel criminal/civil actions when warranted

Administrative cases can result in penalties like suspension or dismissal, separate from criminal/civil outcomes.

8) Choosing the best remedy: a practical mapping

Scenario 1: Bullying by a supervisor (non-sexual), repeated humiliation

Common best route:

Internal complaint + documentation
If resignation/termination results: constructive dismissal/illegal dismissal case
Consider civil damages if harm is severe and well-documented
Criminal route only if threats/defamation are present and provable

Scenario 2: Sexist slurs, sexual jokes, lewd remarks, unwanted sexual comments

Best anchors:

RA 11313 (Safe Spaces) and/or RA 7877
Workplace administrative process; potential criminal/administrative penalties
Labor claims if retaliation or forced resignation occurs

Scenario 3: Co-worker spreads rumors in group chat / public posts

Possible anchors:

Libel/cyber-related defamation concepts (fact-specific)
Employer duty to discipline and prevent hostile environment
Civil damages for reputational harm

Scenario 4: Threats (“I will hurt you,” “I’ll ruin you,” “I’ll get you fired unlawfully”)

Possible anchors:

Criminal threats/coercion
Workplace safety/OSH measures; request immediate protection
Labor claims if employment action follows

9) Evidence: what usually wins (or loses) these cases

A. Strong evidence

Screenshots of messages (include context, dates, names; preserve metadata when possible)
Emails, memos, recorded incidents (careful: recording laws and admissibility are fact-specific)
Witness statements/affidavits
HR reports, incident tickets, investigation findings
Medical/psychological records where relevant
Timeline log (date, time, location, who, what happened, who witnessed)

B. Weak evidence patterns

Purely verbal allegations with no witnesses and no contemporaneous reporting
He-said-she-said without corroboration
Overly generalized claims without dates/details (“always,” “every day,” no specifics)

C. Retaliation documentation

Retaliation often appears as:

Sudden negative performance evaluations after complaints
Unwarranted memos/NTEs
Schedule changes, demotion, exclusion from work, forced transfers
Suspension or termination with questionable timing

Documenting timing is critical.

10) Due process and workplace investigations (why procedure matters)

Employers must observe due process in discipline/termination, and employees benefit from insisting on fair procedure in harassment investigations. Best practices include:

Written complaint with specific facts
Opportunity for both sides to be heard
Neutral fact-finding
Protection against retaliation
Confidentiality controls (as feasible)

If an employer’s process is biased or a sham, that may support claims of bad faith.

11) Remedies checklist (what you can seek)

Depending on the route:

Workplace/internal

Immediate protective measures (no-contact, change reporting line)
Disciplinary action against offender
Policy enforcement and corrective actions

DOLE/NLRC (employment consequences)

Reinstatement or separation pay in lieu
Backwages
Payment of benefits/money claims
Findings supporting damages in proper cases

Civil

Moral/actual/exemplary damages
Injunction-type relief is fact-specific and procedural

Criminal

Prosecution for defamation, threats, coercion, harassment offenses (where elements are met)
Penalties as provided by law

Administrative (public sector)

Suspension/dismissal and other penalties
Formal findings that can support parallel actions

12) Key cautions and strategic considerations

Pick the right theory early. “Bullying” is not a standalone cause of action; you need the correct legal hook: constructive dismissal, harassment under special laws, defamation, threats, civil damages, administrative offenses, etc.
Avoid over-pleading without evidence. Allegations of criminal acts (e.g., libel) can backfire if unsupported.
Preserve evidence lawfully. Keep original files, avoid altering screenshots, and maintain a clean chain of custody.
Mind confidentiality and company policies. Sharing internal communications publicly can create additional issues (disciplinary or civil exposure) depending on content and policy.
Consider psychosocial harm documentation. If anxiety, depression, or trauma symptoms arise, professional consultation can both help recovery and support damages/causation—when appropriate.

13) Bottom line

In the Philippine context, “workplace bullying and verbal abuse” become legally actionable through labor remedies (especially constructive dismissal/retaliation), special harassment statutes (especially when sexual or gender-based), civil damages (abuse of rights and dignity protections), and criminal complaints (defamation, threats, coercion, and related offenses). The strongest outcomes typically come from aligning the facts to the correct legal framework and building a clear, timestamped record of incidents, reports, and harm.