PH still world’s ‘bullying capital’; 63% of Grade 5 pupils bullied —EDCOM II

The Philippines remains the “bullying capital of the world,” with nearly two in three Grade 5 students reporting that they experience bullying at least once a month, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).

Citing data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), DepEd records, and studies with De La Salle University, EDCOM II Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee told lawmakers that 63 percent of Grade 5 pupils said they were harassed or threatened by classmates, excluded from activities, mocked, physically harmed, or subjected to false rumors.

“The Philippines is seen to be the bullying capital of the world with the highest prevalence of bullying in our country, double the average of OECD, and also 63% of grade 5 students saying that they experience bullying at least once a month. The definition of bullying in this context is that they felt harassed or threatened by classmates, that wrong news or allegations were spread about them,” Yee said during a joint House briefing on Tuesday.

But even as bullying remains pervasive, DepEd has 4,460 vacant guidance counselor posts nationwide, while the supply of trained professionals is extremely low. The Philippines has only 5,001 registered guidance counselors and about 3,000 psychologists for more than 47,000 schools.

The recently enacted Basic Education Mental Wellness Act opened 5,000 new guidance counselor slots and raised their salary grade from 11–13 to 16–24. It also created “school counselor associate” positions to allow allied psychology graduates or psychometricians to provide guidance services while completing their qualifications.

However, Yee said the shortage remains severe: “There is a high demand, but a very limited supply. In some regions like MIMAROPA and Eastern Visayas, not a single graduate in guidance counseling was recorded, yet there are hundreds of vacancies.”

Lawmakers urged closer coordination between DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to ensure state universities and colleges offer guidance counseling programs, which are currently rare.

EDCOM II has flagged bullying and the lack of mental health professionals as urgent education gaps that need sustained government attention.

In his recent SONA, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. directed the hiring of more school counselors in public schools, citing rising cases of bullying and mental health challenges among learners.

He said the government must prioritize the mental well-being of young Filipinos alongside traditional academic interventions. The Department of Education had earlier acknowledged the lack of school counselors to support students' wellbeing. — BM, GMA Integrated News