CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

I. Objectives:
At the end of the session, the participants should be able to:
1. Differentiate the procedures in handling child abuse and
related cases, and bullying.
2. Apply the guidelines on their respective division

II. Activity : Case Analysis

Ask the participants how the school should handle the following cases.

Case No. 1
A grade 4 student told his adviser that he was being bullied by
some of his classmates. As a result, the adviser, talked to the class,
named the bullies, reprimanded them not to bully others, and
reminded all of them that bullying is not allowed in school.

Case No. 2
A 2nd year high school student was sexually abused by her classmateboyfriend. It was recorded in a video by 2 other classmates/friends.
The video went viral in the internet. The abuse happened outside the
school. The parent of the girl filed a complaint against the three boys
in school.
Case No. 3
A grade 2 male student was hit by the teacher using midribs.
The student went home with bruises as a result of the act. According
to the teacher, she just tried to stop her student while bullying his
classmates.
Case No. 4
An alumnus of the high school borrowed money from the
student. When the student was claiming payment, the debtor killed
the student inside the school grounds. The body of the victim was
seen lying on the grassy area at the back of one of the classrooms.

Case No. 5
Grade 4 student killed a Grade 1 pupil at the back of one of the
comfort rooms inside the school premises. The perpetrator repeatedly
hit the head of the victim with a rock after the latter ran away with his
marble.

III. Lecture
A. Statistics
REGION

BULLYING

CHILD ABUSE

TOTAL

CAR
NCR
I
II
III
IV-A
IV-B
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
XIII
TOTAL
PERCENTAGE

216
443
24
7
10
112
48
18
114
13
6
5
1
61
85
2
1165
80%

12
46
6
9
8
71
19
31
20
17
10
11
4
6
11
10
291
20%

228
489
30
16
18
183
67
49
134
30
16
16
5
67
96
12
1456
100%

DepEds Response

DepEd launched its Child Protection Policy on May 3, 2012, through

DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, to promote a zero-tolerance policy for
any act of child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying
and other related offenses

DepEd conducted a nationwide information dissemination campaign

and is currently conducting a series of training of trainers (ToT)

B. Legal Bases
Convention on the Rights of the Child
a. Protects children from all forms of violence, injury or abuse;
b. Establishes the Right of the Child to Education
The Philippine Constitution
The State shall protect the right of children to assistance,
including proper care and nutrition, and special protection
from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and
other conditions prejudicial to their development (Art. XV.
Sec. 3(b))
All educational institutions shallx x x foster love of
humanity, respect for human rights x x x...develop moral
character and personal discipline (Article XIV, Section
3, (b))
Article 218, 220, 233 of the Family Code of the Philippines and
PD 603
gives the school, its administrators and teachers, or the
individual, entity or institution engaged in child care the
special parental authority and responsibility over the minor
child while under their supervision, instruction or
custody..
Authority and responsibility shall apply to all authorized
activities whether inside or outside the premises of the
school, entity or institution.
C. Coverage

Children who are enrolled in the basic education system;

School Personnel
School Head
Teaching or Non-Teaching personnel
School Visitor or Guest
Media
Suppliers or Bidders
Parents and Guardians, etc.
D. Prohibited Acts
a. Child abuse;

b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

Discrimination against children;

Child exploitation;
Violence against children in school;
Corporal punishment;
Any analogous or similar acts; and
Bullying or peer abuse

Child Abuse: Republic Act No. 7610 also known as Special Protection
of Children Against Abuse Exploitation and Discrimination.
Refers to the maltreatment of a child;

Includes:

1) Psychological Abuse or Physical Abuse;

2) Neglect or Cruelty;
3) Sexual Abuse and Emotional Maltreatment;
4) Any act by deeds or words that degrades the dignity of a child as
a human being;
5) Unreasonable deprivation of the childs basic needs for survival;
6) Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured
child resulting in serious impairment of the childs growth and
development and permanent incapacity or death.
Discrimination against children

Refers to an act of exclusion, distinction,

restriction
or preference which impairs the recognition, enjoyment or
exercise by all pupils or students on an equal footing, of all
rights and freedoms.

Child Exploitation

Refers to the use of children for someone elses

advantage, gratification or profit resulting in unjust, cruel
and harmful treatment of the child.

Child Exploitation
Forms:

1) Sexual Exploitation refers to the abuse of a position of

vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes.
2) Economic exploitation refers to the use of the child in work
or other activities for the benefit of others.
Violence against children committed in schools

refers to a single act or a series of acts committed by school

administrators, academic and non-academic personnel against a
child which result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual,
psychological harm or suffering, or other abuses including threats
of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty. It includes, but is not limited to the
following acts:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Physical violence
Sexual violence
Psychological violence
Other acts of violence

Corporal Punishment
refers to a kind of punishment or penalty imposed for an alleged
or actual offense, which is carried out or inflicted, for the
purpose of discipline, training or control, by a teacher, school
administrator, an adult, or any other child who has been given or
has assumed authority or responsibility for punishment or
discipline.
E. Duties and responsibilities of the school

Ensure the institution of effective child protection policies and

procedures and monitor compliance thereof;

Adopt a child protection policy, and organize and convene the Child
Protection Committee (CPC) of the school;

Conduct the capacity building activities for the members of CPC and
Guidance Counselors/Teachers;

Ensure that the participatory and other rights of children are

respected and upheld in all matters and procedures affecting their
welfare;

Coordinate with appropriate offices, agencies or instrumentalities

for appropriate assistance and intervention

F. Child Protection Committee

Composition:
a. School Head/Administrator Chairperson
b. Guidance Counselor/ Teacher Vice Chairperson
c. Representative of the Teachers as designated by the Faculty Club
d. Representative of the Parents as designated by the PTA
e. Representative of pupils/students as designated by the Supreme
Student Council
f. Representative from the Community as designated by the
Punong Barangay, preferably from the Barangay Council for the
Protection of Children
G. Functions of CPC
Initiate information dissemination programs and organize
activities for the protection of children;
Establish a system for identifying students who may be suffering
from significant harm based on any physical, emotional or
behavioral signs;
Monitor the implementation of positive measures and effective
procedures in providing the necessary support for the child and
for those who care for the child;
Ensure that the childrens right to be heard are respected and
upheld in all matters and procedures affecting their welfare;
The CPC shall accomplish an Intake Sheet to assess both the
victims and the offenders and report actions taken on the case.
H. PREVENTIVE MEASURES:
Capacity Building of School Officials, Personnel, Parents & Students
Strategies:
i. Conducting sessions, trainings and seminars on positive
peer relationships and enhancement of social and
emotional competence;
ii. Using training modules which include positive and nonviolent discipline in classroom management and gender
sensitivity;

iii. Integrating and teaching childrens rights in the classroom.

I. PROCEDURE: Protective & Remedial Measures to Address Bullying
and Other Acts of Abuse by a Pupil, Student or Learner
All bullying incidents shall be reported to the School Head.
The School Head shall in turn inform the parents of the pupils
concerned and a meeting shall be held for that purpose.
The student shall be referred to the CPC for counseling and other
interventions.
The School may impose Non-punitive Measures in accordance
with the principles of Positive and Non-Violent Discipline.
Punitive measures will be a last resort.

J. PROCEDURE: Protective and Remedial Measures to Address Corporal

Punishment and Other Acts of Violence Committed by School
Personnel
a. Expeditious conduct of investigation and reporting of cases;
b. School Head or the Schools Division Superintendent shall
forward the complaint within 48 hours to the Disciplining
Authority, who shall issue an Order for the conduct of a factfinding investigation, not later than 72 hours from submission;
c. If the person complained of is a non-teaching personnel, the
Schools Division Superintendent shall cause the conduct of a
fact-finding investigation within the same period;
d. Criminal and civil liability shall not be a bar to the filing of an
administrative case;
e. The Revised Rules of Procedure of DepED in Administrative Cases
shall apply in all other aspects;
f. The identity or other information that may reasonably identify
the pupil or student shall remain confidential; and
g. The identity of a respondent-teacher shall likewise be kept
confidential.
K. Assessment & Referral of Victims to the Local Social Welfare and
Development Office (LSWDO)
a. The School Head may refer the victims and offenders to the local
social welfare and development office (LSWDO) for assessment
and appropriate intervention

b. The CPC will coordinate closely with the Women and Child
Protection Desks of the PNP, the LSWDO, other government
agencies and NGOs, as may be appropriate
L. Reporting and Monitoring System
a. The Intake Sheets will be forwarded to the DepEd Division Office
b. The DepEd Division Office will consolidate the reports on
incidents and cases of all schools and submit a Division Report to
the Regional Office
c. The DepEd Regional Office will consolidate the reports on
incidents and cases of the Division Offices within the Region and
submit a Regional Report to the Undersecretary for Legal and
Legislative Affairs
d. The Central Office will be the Central Repository of Regional
Reports
IV. Application
Given the same set of facts in the activity, how will the participants
handle each case.
Prepared by:
Darlene A. Bonggon
Office of the Undersecretary for
Legal and Legislative Affairs