Every parent wants their child to feel safe when they head off to school in the morning. School should be a place for learning, making friends, and growing—not a place of fear.
To make sure every student is protected, the Department of Education recently released a clear set of rules called DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026. This "Anti-Bullying Policy" is a roadmap for schools to stop bullying before it starts and how to handle it fairly if it does happen. Here is a simple breakdown of what these new rules mean for you and your child.
1. Who Do These Rules Protect?
These rules aren't just for the kids in the classroom. They cover everyone involved with the school. This includes:
All Students: From kindergarten through high school.
Teachers and Staff: Everyone who works at the school.
Service Providers: This means the security guards, the people working in the cafeteria, and the bus drivers.
Parents: Even parents are expected to follow these standards of respect.
2. The "Upstander": A New Kind of Hero
One of the best parts of the 2026 rules is the focus on the "Upstander." In the past, we called people "bystanders" if they saw bullying happen. Now, the school encourages kids to be Upstanders—someone who speaks up, steps in, or goes to a teacher to get help. The goal is to make "helping out" the cool thing to do.
3. Understanding the Different Types of Bullying
Bullying isn't always a black eye or a stolen lunch. The new policy lists seven ways bullying can happen:
Physical: Pushing, hitting, or even "pranks" that hurt someone.
Verbal: Name-calling, teasing, or using mean language.
Psychological: Spreading rumors or ignoring someone on purpose to hurt their feelings.
Cyber-Bullying: Being mean through texts, social media, or games. This includes "trolling" or sharing someone’s private photos without permission.
Social Bullying: Trying to ruin someone’s reputation or ganging up on them.
Gender-Based: Harassing someone because of who they are or how they express themselves.
Property Damage: Stealing or breaking a student's things.
4. Protection Beyond the School Gates
You might wonder: "What if it happens at the bus stop or on Facebook?" The school's authority now covers a wide area. The rules apply:
On school grounds and within 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) of the school.
On school buses or any vehicle used for school trips.
Online: Even if a student posts something mean from their home computer, the school can step in if that post makes the victim feel unsafe at school the next day.
5. What Happens to the Bully?
The policy is firm but fair. If a student is found bullying others, they face consequences like Suspension (missing school for a few days) or Exclusion (being dropped from the school list).
However, the main goal is to help the student learn. Schools are required to provide "interventions"—which is just a fancy word for counseling and lessons on how to behave better.
6. No "Getting Back" at People
The policy strictly forbids Retaliation. This means if a student reports bullying, the bully is not allowed to "get back" at them or threaten them for telling. On the flip side, students are also warned not to make up fake stories about bullying, as there are rules against lying about these incidents too.