The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued new clarificatory guidelines on the designation of Learner Formation Officers (LFOs) in schools, providing clearer instructions on who may be designated, what duties LFOs must perform, and how schools should organize learner protection and discipline functions.
The clarification is contained in DepEd Memorandum No. 055, s. 2026, issued on September 17, 2026. It was released pursuant to the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, and DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, also known as the Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment.
The issuance is particularly important for school heads, teachers, learners, and parents because the LFO is expected to play a central role in handling bullying and other learner-related complaints while helping maintain a safe and respectful school environment.
What Is a Learner Formation Officer?
Under the revised DepEd framework, the Learner Formation Officer is a designated school personnel responsible for helping maintain a safe and respectful learning environment through the enforcement of school policies and the management of learner behavior.
The LFO is not simply an individual assigned to discipline learners. The position also involves receiving and processing complaints, protecting the rights of learners involved in cases, maintaining confidentiality, keeping appropriate records, and facilitating the resolution of complaints.
DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026 consolidated and harmonized various learner rights and protection policies, including measures addressing bullying and other concerns affecting learner safety and welfare.
Main Duties of the Learner Formation Officer
One of the most important responsibilities of the LFO is to ensure that learners and their parents or parent-substitutes are informed about the school's anti-bullying policy.
The LFO must also provide a way for learners to report bullying or retaliation anonymously and give clear instructions on how anonymous reports can be submitted.
However, an anonymous report by itself cannot be used as the sole basis for disciplinary or administrative action against an alleged bully.
Another major responsibility is handling and resolving bullying complaints and cases. During an investigation, the rights of the victim, bully, upstander, and bystander must be protected and upheld. Confidentiality must also be maintained throughout the process.
The LFO must likewise ensure that consolidated statistical information regarding bullying and retaliation is available, subject to confidentiality requirements and applicable data privacy policies.
Personal information and sensitive personal information must only be disclosed to authorized personnel who have a legitimate need to know and a lawful basis for accessing the information.
Two-Hour Daily Desk Duty
A notable requirement is the LFO's daily desk duty of at least two hours.
During this period, the LFO may conduct sessions or consultations with learners, school personnel, and parents or parent-substitutes concerning reports, inquiries, and other matters within the officer's responsibilities.
The two-hour desk duty may therefore serve as a designated point of access for learners and parents who need to raise concerns or seek information.
LFOs Also Handle Non-Bullying Complaints
The LFO's responsibilities are not limited to bullying cases.
Under the clarificatory guidelines, the LFO is also responsible for the handling, recording, and resolution of complaints involving learners in relation to non-bullying offenses and the corresponding penalties provided under Annex I of DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026.
This means the LFO serves as a processing and resolution-facilitation mechanism for both bullying and applicable non-bullying learner complaints.
Importantly, the LFO does not make the final decision on sanctions.
Learners, parents, or parent-substitutes must be informed about the complaint in writing. The alleged bully must also be given an opportunity to respond in writing with the assistance of their parents or parent-substitute.
After processing the complaint, the LFO provides findings and recommendations to the school head.
The school head remains responsible for determining the appropriate sanctions and rendering the final decision based on the LFO's findings.
Who Can Be Designated as an LFO?
The clarification provides an interim order of priority for school personnel who may be designated as Learner Formation Officers.
The school head may designate:
- Assistant School Head Designates (ASHDs)
- Head Teachers (HTs) who are not designated as Department Heads or Teacher-in-Charge (TIC)
- Teachers
Priority should be given to ASHDs and qualified Head Teachers.
A teacher may be designated as an LFO only when there are no available ASHDs or HTs who can perform the function.
This hierarchy provides schools with guidance when determining who should take on the responsibility.
When Can a Teacher Be Designated as an LFO?
The designation of teachers as LFOs is considered a teaching-related assignment under the Advocacy component of Guidance and Advocacy.
This component covers functions involving learner discipline and other concerns that support learner rights and protection.
The guidelines also distinguish these functions from guidance and mental health services. In other words, the LFO role is complementary to, rather than a replacement for, guidance and mental health services.
When selecting teachers, priority should be given to those who:
- Have less than six hours of teaching load; and/or
- Are not assigned as class advisers; and/or
- Do not have other teaching-related assignments.
Teachers who perform LFO duties beyond their prescribed regular working hours may be compensated through overtime pay in accordance with DepEd Order No. 026, s. 2025, or the guidelines on payment of overtime services of teachers.
Can a School Have More Than One LFO?
Yes.
The school head may designate more than one Learner Formation Officer when necessary.
This is intended to ensure adequate coverage across different key stages or grade levels.
For larger schools, having multiple LFOs may allow learner concerns to be processed more efficiently and provide better access to the reporting and consultation mechanisms required under the policy.
LFO Designation Requires a Designation Order
For teachers designated as LFOs, the designation must be effected through a Designation Order.
The order must have the concurrence of the concerned teacher or teachers and must be duly signed by the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).
Schools therefore need to ensure that the designation is properly documented rather than relying only on an informal assignment.
Experience and Training Are Important
DepEd also gives priority to personnel who have experience handling an advisory class and who have attended relevant capacity-building activities or in-service training on learner rights and protection.
However, personnel who have no prior class-adviser experience or who have not undergone relevant training are not automatically excluded if they are designated.
Instead, they should be provided with appropriate capacity-building interventions by the Learner Rights and Protection Division at the earliest opportunity.
The goal is to ensure that newly designated LFOs are prepared to perform their responsibilities effectively.
Who Cannot Be Designated as LFO?
The clarification specifically states that certain personnel should not be designated as Learner Formation Officers.
The following are not to be designated as LFOs:
- School Counselor
- School Counselor Associate
- Guidance Advocate
- Other non-teaching personnel
This distinction is significant because LFO duties involve learner discipline and complaint processing, while guidance and mental health services remain separate but complementary functions under the broader learner protection framework.
Deadline for Schools to Designate LFOs
One of the most important dates for schools is October 9, 2026.
DepEd's clarificatory guidelines state that all schools must ensure that an LFO is designated by October 9, 2026.
With the issuance dated September 17, schools have a limited period to complete the designation process and ensure that the appropriate personnel are ready to perform the required functions.
DepEd field offices have also started issuing related memoranda and designations. For example, the DepEd National Capital Region listed a September 10, 2026 regional memorandum concerning the designation of LFOs in public and private elementary and secondary schools.
What About the Alternative Learning System?
The clarificatory guidelines also address the designation of LFOs for the Alternative Learning System (ALS).
For a School-Based Learning Center (SBLC), the same LFO as the mainstream or regular school system shall be assigned when the designated LFO is an ASHD.
If the mainstream school's LFO is a Head Teacher or teacher, the SBLC shall select its LFO from among the ALS teachers assigned to the center.
The school head of the school to which the SBLC is attached will exercise jurisdiction over bullying and non-bullying cases involving ALS learners.
For a Community Learning Center (CLC) or other sites where ALS is implemented, the Chief of the Curriculum Implementation Division of the Schools Division Office shall designate a Division Focal Person as the LFO.
Why the New LFO Guidelines Matter
The clarification comes as DepEd continues to strengthen its broader learner protection and school safety framework.
DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026 consolidated different policies concerning learner rights and protection, including bullying, violence, reporting procedures, security protocols, and mental health and psychosocial support.
The department has also continued to emphasize that school safety extends beyond physical security. On September 21, 2026, DepEd announced preparations for a School Digital Safety Campaign addressing online risks involving learners, teachers, and parents. The planned initiative is expected to complement existing school safety mechanisms, including Learner Formation Officers and Child Protection Committees.
This broader approach highlights why schools need clearly designated personnel who understand their responsibilities when learner concerns are reported.
Key Takeaways for Teachers and School Heads
For quick reference, the major points of the September 17 clarification are:
- Schools must designate a Learner Formation Officer by October 9, 2026.
- Priority should be given to ASHDs and qualified Head Teachers.
- Teachers may be designated when no ASHDs or eligible HTs are available.
- LFOs must perform at least two hours of desk duty each day.
- LFOs handle bullying and applicable non-bullying complaints for processing and resolution.
- The LFO submits findings and recommendations to the school head.
- The school head determines the appropriate sanctions and renders the decision.
- Teacher LFO assignments require a Designation Order, with teacher concurrence and SDS signature.
- Teachers performing LFO duties beyond regular working hours may be entitled to overtime pay under applicable rules.
- School counselors, counselor associates, guidance advocates, and other non-teaching personnel should not be designated as LFOs.
- Schools may designate more than one LFO when needed for adequate coverage.
- LFOs without relevant experience or training should receive appropriate capacity-building interventions.
- Separate arrangements apply to ALS School-Based Learning Centers and Community Learning Centers.
Final Reminder
The designation of Learner Formation Officers is now an important compliance matter for schools implementing the Revised IRR of RA 10627 and DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026.
School heads and concerned personnel should carefully review DepEd Memorandum No. 055, s. 2026, together with the Revised IRR of the Anti-Bullying Act and DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, before finalizing their school-level arrangements.
As of September 22, 2026, the key deadline stated in the clarification remains October 9, 2026, giving schools a clear timeframe to complete the designation of their Learner Formation Officer or Officers.
The LFO framework is intended to provide schools with a defined mechanism for receiving concerns, processing complaints, protecting the rights of learners involved, maintaining confidentiality, and helping school heads make decisions based on documented findings.
For the complete and authoritative requirements, school personnel should refer to the official DepEd issuance and any subsequent regional or division-level instructions applicable to their school.