Why the Philippines is still dubbed as “bullying capital”

The label is undeniably harsh and it stings — once again, the Philippines is dubbed as the “bullying capital of the world.” While this is not a label any nation aspired to, the statistics behind this title reveal a reality that is all too familiar to thousands of students who face these challenges daily in their classrooms.

Recent reports from the Second Congressional Commission on Education reveal that almost two out of three Filipino students face bullying regularly — a rate almost double the global average. This problem affects students across all grade levels, from elementary to high school, and takes many forms whether it be physical, verbal, social, and increasingly digital.

Beyond the numbers

These statistics translate into daily experiences for students, shaping classrooms that are not only spaces of learning but also sites of fear and anxiety. And behind these schools are institutions struggling to implement reforms that often aren’t keeping pace with the issues at hand.

The numbers tell a compelling story. According to the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment, about 65% of Filipino Grade 10 students reported being bullied multiple times each month — much higher than the global average. 

Although the 2022 results showed a slight improvement, the Philippines still ranks among the top countries with a important portion of students facing harassment weekly, roughly one in three students.

At the school level, the situation is just as stark. At Rizal High School, one of the largest public schools in the country, there were over 380 reported cases in just one year, nearly 50 of which involved physical injuries. These figures reveal a problem that’s beyond a series of isolated events; they point to a deeper, widespread challenge affecting Filipino students in their daily lives.

From classrooms to screens

Bullying has also expanded beyond the confines of the schoolyard. Digital environments have broadened its scope, enabling harassment to follow students into their homes via group chats, social media platforms, and viral posts. For many children, the notion of a truly safe space has become increasingly elusive.

By expanding its reach this much, bullying impacts educational outcomes. Extensive research consistently illustrates that students subjected to bullying tend to perform below their academic potential, exhibit increased rates of absenteeism, and suffer from deteriorated mental health. When fear dominates the learning environment, academic focus invariably takes a backseat.

This connection is crucial in the Philippine context, where debates on education often focus on test scores, literacy, or teacher performance. However, the social environment within schools — the extent to which students feel safe, welcomed, and supported is equally critical. 

When fear undermines learning

When children perceive their classrooms as places of anxiety or hostility, no matter how innovative the curriculum or how effective the teaching methods, meaningful progress remains elusive.

This is why education experts stress that addressing bullying is foundational to improving overall learning outcomes. In a sense, making schools safe is as important as making lessons effective.

The Department of Education (DepEd), led by Secretary Sonny Angara, has acknowledged the severity of the problem. As the principal author of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, Angara is now leading efforts to strengthen its enforcement.

• Updating regulations of both the Anti-Bullying Act and the Safe Spaces Act to address newer challenges such as cyberbullying.
• Curriculum integration of anti-bullying education in the revised K to 10 program, focusing on values, empathy, and respect.
• Interventions for aggressors that emphasize counseling and accountability rather than punishment alone.
• Expansion of mental health services, aligned with the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, including the establishment of Mental Health and Well-Being Offices in high-need areas.

What holds back solutions

Yet the reforms face a major obstacle — the shortage of guidance counselors. International standards recommend one counselor for every 250 students, but the Philippines has only around 5,000 licensed counselors for over 47,000 schools. 

In some regions, not a single graduate enrolls in counseling programs. This shortage means that even with strong policies, many schools lack the trained personnel to support students effectively. Teachers often fill the gap, but their heavy workloads limit the consistency of such support.

DepEd has established numerous new positions for guidance counselors and counselor associates to address the existing shortages. However, the number of qualified professionals remains alarmingly scarce, with some regions even reporting no enrollment in guidance counseling programs at all. Absent substantial investments in higher education pathways and training, this shortage risks persisting for many years to come.

This gap means that while policies may be in place, many schools lack the trained professionals who can respond directly to students in need. Teachers often step in, but their already heavy workloads limit how much consistent support they can provide.

The ongoing prevalence of bullying in the Philippines emphasizes a more major reality — educational institutions serve not merely as centers of academic learning but also as essential social environments. Without a comprehensive focus on the social and emotional well-being within these settings, any efforts to reform education remain fundamentally incomplete.

Beyond policies, toward real ‘change’

What renders this issue particularly urgent is not merely the numerical data, but the tangible impacts experienced daily, such as a student who avoids school out of fear, a child concealing their struggles at home, or a peer whose true potential is quietly diminished through exclusion and silence.

While bullying remains a concern on a global scale, the data specific to the Philippines indicates that it is more widespread in this country than in many others. Consequently, our approach to addressing this issue must be equally strong, well-coordinated, and long-term in nature.

For children to excel academically, they must first feel secure within their social environment.

This foundational truth supports every lesson — students cannot truly learn when fear overrides understanding.