This week, we learned that the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) has submitted to the Department of Education (DepEd) its proposed revised implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013.

The proposal aims to provide a more effective and proactive measure to combat bullying in schools, address significant shortfalls in the current implementation of anti-bullying regulations, and introduce comprehensive updates to better protect students.

The proposal is also aligned with the recent enactment of Republic Act 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, which institutionalizes comprehensive mental health initiatives for basic education institutions, aiming to foster awareness, prevention, and support for the well-being of students.

Challenges in the implementation of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, however, have been experienced, largely due to a significant lack of trained personnel and differences in school policies.

There is a severe shortage of guidance counselors in the country impacting the effective execution and implementation of anti-bullying measures. Undermanned teams of counselors often struggle, due to limited personnel and lack of resources, to fulfill their functions and meet their goals.

Another challenge is a clear underreporting of bullying incidents. There is currently an incentive system that rewards schools for reporting zero cases. But as encouraging as having zero incidents is, there is an unintended risk of no longer finding the need to do accurate reporting, which prevents appropriate and necessary interventions.

Also worth noting is the absence of student handbooks for discipline, which leads to unclear and sometimes inconsistent definitions, practices, and reportorial systems in bullying.

Bullying is a very serious issue, as it has adverse effects not just on those being bullied, but also on the bullies themselves, their schools and the parents of the students involved.

Children who are bullied can experience negative physical, social, emotional, academic and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience depression and anxiety. They are more prone to sadness and loneliness, and this is manifested in changes in sleeping and eating patterns, and subsequent loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These psychological issues may and often persist into adulthood. There are also physical effects as health complaints are positively correlated with incidents of bullying.

With regard to social and academic effects, there is also a decrease in academic achievements and overall school participation. Victims of bullying are also more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school altogether. There is also the risk of migrating into violence, albeit remote, as bullied children choose to retaliate.

Additionally, bullies are more likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults. There is also a study that connects criminal convictions and traffic citations to adults who were once bullies in school. An inclination to be abusive toward their romantic partners, spouses, or children as adults was noted as well.

Education and bullying may sadly become synonymous if bullying in school goes unchecked. Now that studies support the notion that bullying is an evil that is best nipped in the bud, effective early safeguards must forthwith be put in place to protect our children.

The review and consideration of the proposed revised IRR of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 is timely and is a good place to start.