Councilor seeks review, stricter enforcement of Davao City anti-bullying ordinance

Davao City Councilor Enzo Villafuerte is pushing for tighter enforcement of the city's Anti-Bullying Ordinance and for the City Anti-Bullying Council to be convened, following a bullying incident involving junior high school students at Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU), according to Edge Davao.

The incident happened on Wednesday. After AdDU completed its disciplinary proceedings, a junior high school student found responsible was dismissed, the report said.

Villafuerte, who authored the ordinance, recognised the school's action but said discipline alone does not solve the problem. "Our greater responsibility is to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again, in Ateneo or in any other school in Davao City," he said in a statement.

He said he would seek the convening of the City Anti-Bullying Council, which the ordinance mandates to bring together government agencies, schools and other stakeholders to coordinate prevention efforts. He also called for a review of how the ordinance is being implemented, covering enforcement of its provisions, the duties of schools, and the channels students and parents can use to report bullying.

According to Villafuerte, schools need clear procedures for receiving complaints, investigating reports, shielding students from further harm or retaliation, and supporting those affected. "We need to move beyond reacting to incidents after they happen," he said, adding that preventive measures, intervention protocols and support systems must be strengthened.

The councilor also asked the public to respect the privacy of the minors involved, avoid actions that could expose them to further harm, and let school authorities establish the facts and observe due process.

He said protecting children from bullying requires the involvement of school officials, teachers, parents, government agencies and the wider community, and that the ordinance must be enforced so that students in both public and private schools are adequately protected.