CHR to public: Protect privacy of kids in viral bullying video

Like parents and school officials, netizens and the media also have the duty to protect the rights to privacy and confidentiality of children involved in a recent bullying incident at the Ateneo Junior High School.

As the footage of the bullying incident continue to go viral online, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) National Capital Region Office issued an advisory on bullying and how it should be addressed.

It cited Republic Act 10627 or the "Anti-Bullying Act of 2013," which aims to protect children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools from "being bullied or be subjected to any retaliation."

"It requires the schools to adopt policies to address the existence of bullying in their respective institutions," the CHR said.

The advisory stressed that "intervention of school officials, especially if the bullying incident transpired in the school premises, is needed to adequately address and if possible, to eliminate the same."

Likewise, it said that "The right to privacy and confidentiality of all children involved must always be protected, not only by the school administrators, the parents, other parties concerned, the media, as well as users of social networks."

In particular, the CHR-NCR office cited Section 3 of RA 10627 which "clearly mandates the elementary and secondary schools to adopt their Anti-Bullying Policies to address the existence of bullying in their respective premises."

Listed out were the mandatory provisions these policies should contain, which include prohibited acts; identification of range of disciplinary measures that may be imposed; procedures and strategies to be taken; enabling of students to anonymously report bullying or retaliation.

The section also provides disciplinary administrative action to student who knowingly makes false accusation of bullying; educating the students, parents and guardians to the dynamics of bullying, anti-bullying policies and the support and reinforcement that the parents or guardians can provide regarding such policies at home and; the maintenance of public record on relevant information and statistics of bullying and retaliation in school.

The CHR also cited related provisions under the international Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC), which the Philippines ratified.

"Being the primary institution mandated by law to protect and educate the children in any forms of bullying, the school holds a vital role to enforce the provisions of the said law," CHR-NCR said.

"Coming up with a definite and clear procedure and mechanisms on how to address  the bullying will be of great help to all involved," it added.

"Further, if continuous education, support, program, and intervention will be made by the school officials regarding the bullying as mandated by the law, the same will effectively reduce if not, by eliminate bullying cases even outside the school premises."

Ateneo de Manila University officials have already launched an investigation into the incident and met with both parties involved in the video. —Margaret Claire Layug/LBG, GMA News