Schools and workplaces that failed to resolve bullying cases within their jurisdiction face penalties including the non-renewal of business permits.
This is among the added provisions of the newly-approved Anti-Bullying Ordinance in Davao City authored by Third District Councilor Lorenzo Benjamin “Enzo” Villafuerte.
Villafuerte, chair of the Committee on Civil, Political, and Human Rights for the 20th City Council, said this is the recommendation of the City Legal to give teeth to the said law.
“Kani ang big changes nato from first reading ug katong penalties nato na according to the City Legal na dapat naay ngipon ang balaod, so naay penalties para sa mga educational institutions and workplaces na dili mu-follow sa ordinance,” he said over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Friday.
He explained that schools and workplaces that are not able to resolve bullying cases within their jurisdiction, for the first offense, will be called by the City Anti-Bullying Council which is formed through the said ordinance and led by Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, to explain the case.
If their explanation is reasonable, they will be given a warning.
However, for those unresolved bullying cases, educational institutions and workplaces will be imposed with an administrative fine of P5,000 for the first offense, and for the subsequent offenses, they will be fined P5,000 plus a recommendation to their respective agencies like the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Department of Labor (DOLE) for grounds for non-renewal of their business permits.
“Kana ang recommendation sa City Legal Office para naay ngipon ang ordinansa kay we are giving authority to the workplace and institution nga dapat sila ang mag-solve. Medyo bug-at ni para ma-force ang institution nato na dapat naa sila’y buhaton within their jurisdiction ug ginahatag nato ang authority sa ilaha to resolve these cases and if they are not doing their jobs diha nata mag-penalize sa ilaha. Gi complement lang pud nato ang authority sa mga agencies ang ilahang existing memorandum circular within their agencies ug i-monitor lang nato kung gi-activate ba nila ang anti-bullying mechanisms nila,” Villafuerte said.
Another provision is the setting up of an anti-bullying desk in every barangay and the district halls for immediate actions against bullying complaints.
“Also the big changes sa atong ordinance nagbutang ta ug isa ka provision na dapat naa tay anti-bullying desk sa kada barangay ug tanan district halls para naay immediate action kay basin naay uban maulaw na muduol sa ilahang HR ug grievance committee sa ilang workplace or maulaw muduol sa ilahang maestra ug maestro at least naa sila’y maduolan sa ilahang area,” Villafuerte said.
This is also an additional function for the women and children function desk or the violence against women and their children (VAWC) desk in the barangays.
The ordinance also aims to strengthen the already existing national law known as Republic Act 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act, which aims to protect children enrolled in kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools and learning centers (collectively, “Schools”) from being bullied.
“Naa ta’y national law ang Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 ug kani gi-localize nato pero gi-expand pa nato kay sa atong national law included lang ang primary and secondary schools, diri sa atong ordinance included ang kindergarten, college level, workplace and bullying in public places,” Villafuerte said.
