The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to organize advocacy activities to help prevent bullying in public schools, an agency official said on Wednesday (April 23).
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the agency supports the Department of Education’s (DepEd) anti-bullying campaign by conducting capacity-building and learning activities, especially for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
“Bullying is one of the main causes of learning disruption among children and teens. To help address this concern, the DSWD’s 4Ps conducts family development sessions (FDS) to inform parents on the significance of having a nurturing family and school environment for children to prevent bullying,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.
The DSWD spokesperson emphasized that FDS sessions help reinforce the rearing capacity of 4Ps parents to teach them to become more observant to the emotional well-being of their children and to cultivate open communication with their children.
Aside from FDS sessions, Asst. Secretary Dumlao said DSWD Field Offices are also conducting advocacy activities in public schools to raise the awareness of teachers and students on the different forms of bullying and prevention mechanisms.
“One of the recent anti-bullying activities of the agency was held in Barangay Nato, Sagñay in Camarines Sur last April 8. The 4Ps staff of DSWD Field Office 5-Bicol Region held a discussion with high school students and teachers to help them learn their roles to prevent bullying. They also encouraged them to speak up against bullies and promote compassion and respect for each other,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out.
In a Facebook post on the activity, the Bicol Field Office said: “Pinaalalahanan din ang mga guro at kawani ng paaralan na may pananagutan sila sa pagtiyak na ligtas at inklusibo ang kapaligiran ng mga mag-aaral. Binigyang halaga ang papel ng mga bystanders o mga nakasaksi sa bullying na sa halip na manahimik, ay dapat makialam sa positibong paraan upang mapigilan ang karahasan at diskriminasyon.”
Asst. Secretary Dumlao recalled that in November 2024, during a national congress for 4Ps children-beneficiaries, one of the significant policy recommendations approved was the amendment to the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013.
“Through the help of the 4Ps children, the mandatory conduct of anti-bullying orientations in public schools and private schools on the first day of classes was included in the new house bill,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act (RA) 11310 in 2019, the 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition, and education. (AKDL)