TAGUIG CITY, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has brought its anti-bullying campaign directly to the classroom, leading a student awareness seminar at Bagong Tanyag Integrated School in Taguig City on Friday, September 4.
DOJ Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato spoke to students during the seminar, which focused on preventing bullying and strengthening awareness of the consequences of harmful behavior among young people. ABS-CBN News reported the activity in a September 5 report.
The appearance comes as the DOJ expands its role in addressing bullying beyond simply responding to complaints. The department has recently established additional channels through which victims and their families can seek government assistance when bullying incidents require intervention beyond the school level.
DOJ opens another avenue for bullying complaints
The DOJ issued Department Circular No. 026 on July 30, 2026, titled “Accessibility and Referral Mechanism on Complaints of Bullying.” The issuance provides a mechanism for certain bullying complaints to be referred to prosecutors.
The policy does not, however, replace the school-based process.
Under the Anti-Bullying Act, bullying cases are generally addressed first through schools and their Child Protection Committees. The DOJ or prosecution offices may become involved when a case is properly referred or when the alleged conduct may already constitute a criminal offense.
That distinction is important because the government’s latest campaign is not simply about punishing students—it is also about making sure victims and their parents know where they can turn when existing school-level mechanisms are insufficient.
‘Zero complaints’ does not mean zero bullying
Just days before the Taguig seminar, Dato said the DOJ had received no bullying complaints or referrals nationwide since the July 30 circular took effect.
But he cautioned against interpreting the figure as proof that bullying has disappeared.
“Zero complaints does not mean zero incidents,” Dato said, according to Daily Tribune.
The DOJ said its Action Center and prosecution offices nationwide had not received a bullying-related complaint or referral between July 30 and September 2.
Dato explained that many cases are still expected to be handled initially by schools through their Child Protection Committees, meaning the absence of DOJ referrals does not necessarily reflect the actual number of bullying incidents occurring in schools.
Tougher school penalties are also taking effect
The DOJ’s campaign comes as the Department of Education (DepEd) has separately tightened its disciplinary framework for bullying, violence and other threats to school safety.
Under DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, serious offenses—including repeated bullying and online harassment—can result in progressively heavier sanctions.
Reported measures include suspension of up to five days for serious offenses, possible referral to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, non-readmission for subsequent offenses and exclusion for more serious or repeated violations. High-risk acts involving severe physical harm, bomb threats or dangerous hoaxes can carry even heavier consequences, including referral to law enforcement.
School heads may also impose a preventive suspension of up to 30 days while an investigation is ongoing when a learner is considered a continuing threat to campus safety.
At the same time, DepEd’s rules emphasize that schools must protect victims, investigate reported incidents and provide affected learners with appropriate mental health and psychosocial support.
Why the Taguig seminar matters
The Taguig seminar therefore comes at a significant moment for Philippine schools.
The government’s approach is increasingly moving toward a whole-of-school and whole-of-government response, rather than treating bullying as merely a disciplinary problem between students.
Earlier government initiatives have called for stronger coordination among DepEd, the DOJ, Philippine National Police, Department of Social Welfare and Development, local governments and schools when incidents involve legal violations or threats to student safety.
The broader push also follows renewed national attention on school safety after several serious incidents involving violence in educational institutions.
The House of Representatives, for example, has pending measures examining the implementation of the Anti-Bullying Act and other laws and policies concerning learner protection, school safety and violence prevention.
The bigger message to students
The message emerging from the government’s latest actions is clear: bullying is no longer being treated as something schools and families must confront alone.
But authorities are also emphasizing prevention, early intervention and awareness—not just punishment after an incident occurs.
For students, that means understanding that repeated harassment, physical aggression, threats and online abuse can have consequences extending beyond school disciplinary procedures, depending on the circumstances.
For parents, the developing system provides additional avenues for seeking assistance when a bullying complaint requires intervention outside the school’s immediate process.
And for schools, the challenge is to ensure that reporting mechanisms work, victims are protected and cases are addressed before harmful behavior escalates.
The Taguig seminar may have been a single school activity, but it reflects a much larger shift now underway: the Philippine government is tightening the systems surrounding bullying, school violence and learner protection—and the next test will be whether those mechanisms translate into faster action when students actually come forward.
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