Taguig allots P25M for anti-bullying desks in schools

MANILA, Philippines - The Taguig City government has allotted P25 million from its budget to fund a novel way of addressing bullying problems in its public schools.

Taguig-Pateros Department of Education Administrator Dr. George Tizon said the city would be implementing its Students Anti-Bullying Action Centers (SABAC) in the city’s 12 public high schools and 22 public elementary schools.

Tizon said each school would have a SABAC desk to be manned by an officer of the school’s student council officers.  According to Tizon, the SABAC desk will serve both as an information desk and a complaint desk where victims of bullying could file their complaints.

The SABAC program will be composed of the school’s supreme student government (student council) and the parent-teachers association (PTA).

Tizon said students who are victims of bullying usually keep quiet about  their experience with bullies for fear of being reprimanded by their teachers and parents.

The SABAC program also encourages witnesses to report acts of bullyin, Tizon said  adding  that the identity of witnesses will be protected.

“Our target is  [to protect] not only the victim but also the witness,” he said.

Tizon said that once an incident of bullying is reported to the SABAC desk, the identities of the alleged bully and the victim would be reported to an SSG adviser. The adviser will then report the incident to the principal who will then inform the school’s guidance counselor.

From there, the PTA on recommendation of the guidance counselor, will then set up a meeting between the parents of the alleged bully and the victim.

According to Tizon, the SABAC desks will help bring the resolution of bullying cases at homes where parents and guardians can take the lead.

Tizon said that complainants who do not want to personally file their complaints, may make use of dropboxes around the school to submit their complaints.

“Complaints from these drop boxes will only be seen and read by the principal or SSG adviser. We understand that there are some kids who do not want to reveal their troubles even to their peers,” said Tizon.

Tizon said the local Department of Education in Taguig last summer had already conducted a seminar on the implementation of the SABAC program with representatives of the city’s various public schools. This was later followed with an information drive at the various schools.