DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 13 November 2026) – Two members of the city council are calling for a review of existing policies against bullying following a viral incident at Ateneo de Davao University-Junior High School involving minors. Councilor Enzo Villafuerte, who authored Davao City’s anti-bullying ordinance, and Councilor Antoinette Principe, chair of the committee on education, emphasized the responsibility of the local government and educational system to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing. Villafuerte plans to convene the City Anti-Bullying Council to review the ordinance’s enforcement, while Principe urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to investigate and enforce existing policies thoroughly. Principe stressed that schools should be safe spaces for learning, not fear, and called for preventive measures, recognition of warning signs, and effective reporting mechanisms. The university has dismissed the student involved in the incident, but Principe and Villafuerte emphasized the need for broader prevention and support systems. The Ateneo Public Interest and Legal Advocacy Center urged respect for the minor’s rights and dignity, opposing public shaming and online harassment. Congressman Chel Diokno called for the passage of House Bill No. 10038, the Expanded Anti-Bullying Act, to strengthen schools’ and DepEd’s powers in addressing bullying and imposing penalties on unresponsive administrators. Diokno proposed the formation of Student Support Teams in schools to handle bullying cases effectively, stressing that bullying should not be normalized in educational institutions. [Yas D. Ocampo / MindaNews]
