By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
At 65 percent, the Philippines holds what is now another disturbing world record: the highest proportion of Grade 10 students reporting monthly bullying.
This PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) report based on 2018 should compel the Department of Education (DepEd) to address the situation more deliberately.
To enforce order in this case would require institutional effort, because teachers cannot do it on their own — if, at all, any of them would raise a finger to arrest the situation. Question: Do we even hire enough guidance counselors?
Well, that is why PNP Chief Nicolas Torre III now says that students can report bullying directly via the 911 emergency hotline. This may sound over the edge, at first, but it might be a long overdue response, especially when bullying turns into something criminally violent.
I’m all for it, especially visible deployments of police near schools to ensure swift response times. That’s good, but let’s not pretend this solves the problem.
Every school belongs to a larger community, where parents and school staff may communicate with the barangay, the church, and businesses around them to serve as watchdogs not just for bullying incidents, but for overall behavior.
Young people must see examples of morality and kindness so that they may develop friendliness and compassion towards the weak and the mentally unwell – much like the way PWDs are treated inside buses.
NCAP notices
Speaking about good behavior, the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) seems to be achieving what MMDA traffic enforcers never did: disciplining drivers.
With the NCAP in place, MMDA recently launched the “May Huli Ka 2.0” website — allowing motorists to check online if they’ve been flagged for traffic violations under the no-contact policy.
Technology is now catching motorists faster, but whether it has made roads safer is yet to be seen.
‘Huli ka, balbon!’
Here’s more proof of digital precision in catching violators. But this time let’s apply it to reckless public officials who violate public trust. A real “huli ka” incident played out in Tuguegarao City recently with the video of two high-ranking Land Transportation Office (LTO) officials embarrassingly going viral.
These two were caught on video harassing a young woman and assaulting two boys at a hotel. They’ve now been relieved, criminally charged, and publicly disgraced. The accounts are sickening: slapping minors, pulling hair, coercing a young woman into the company of a superior. They failed not only the children involved, but every standard of ethical conduct demanded by public service.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has asked for their permanent dismissal. Rightfully so. But permanent removal should not be mistaken for justice served. The criminal charges must proceed fully — not only for accountability, but to send a message to every civil servant: your badge doesn’t shield you from the law.
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