Dep Ed Order NO. 40. S.

2012
Policy and Guidelines on
Protecting Children in
School from Abuse,
Violence, Exploitation,
Discrimination, Bullying
and Other Forms of Abuse
The Department of Education is
at the center of efforts to
protect children from all forms
of violence in all private and
public primary and secondary
schools.
• Convention on the Rights of the
Child
 Protects children from all forms of
violence, injury or abuse;

 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;
Legal Bases

•SECTION 2 OF
REPUBLIC ACT
no. 10627 otherwise
known known as the “ANTI-
BULLYING ACT OF 2013”:
DepEd Order no. 40, S. 2012

THE CHILD PROTECTION

POLICY OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION
 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.
 PROHIBITED ACTS
 Child Abuse;

 Discrimination Against Children;

 Child Exploitation;

 Violence Against Children

Committed in School:
PROHIBITED ACTS...
 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;
PROHIBITED ACTS...
 Child Abuse...

5) Unreasonable deprivation of the

child’s basic needs for survival;

6) Failure to immediately give

medical treatment to an injured child
resulting in serious impairment of
the child’s growth and development
and permanent incapacity or death.
Discrimination against children
PROHIBITED ACTS...

 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.
PROHIBITED ACTS...

 Child Exploitation:
 Refers to the use of
children for someone else’s
advantage, gratification or
profit resulting in unjust,
cruel and harmful treatment
of the child
PROHIBITED ACTS...

 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.
PROHIBITED ACTS...
 Violence Against Children:
 Refers to acts committed in school
which result in or is likely to result in
physical, sexual, psychological harm
or suffering, or other abuses. It
includes, but is not limited to, the
following acts:
1. Physical violence
2. Sexual violence
3. Psychological violence
A wilful aggressive behaviour
that is directed, towards a
particular victim who may be
out-numbered, younger, weak,
with disability, less confident, or
otherwise vulnerable.
Forms:

1) Bullying - is committed when a

student commits an act directed
towards another student, which
results in physical and mental
abuse, harassment, intimidation,
or humiliation
Forms:
Physical Bullying- Any unwanted,
hurtful and sudden physical contact
between the bully and the victim,
with the victim having no means to
defend themselves.
Psychological Bullying- Any act that
causes damage to a victim’s psyche
and/or emotional well-being and any
similar acts that create adverse
impact on the psychological well-
being of the victim.
 Forms:
Sexual Bullying- The act that
embarrass, annoy, irritate, threat and
torment the mind of the child, which
results in an intimidating, hostile or
offensive environment for the child.
Emotional Bullying- An act that
causes the victim undue emotional
distress like directing foul language or
profanity at the target.
 Cyber Bullying - any conduct
defined in the preceding paragraph,
as resulting in harassment,
intimidation, or humiliation, through
electronic means or other technology,
such as, but not limited to texting,
email, instant messaging, chatting,
internet, social networking websites
or other platforms or formats.
All bullying incidents shall be reported to
the School Head through Class Adviser.

The School Head/Adviser shall 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.
•Discipline does not mean
punishment

•Children are full human beings with

basic human rights

•Positive discipline begins with setting

long term goals that teacher want to
have on their students’ adult lives.
Positive and Non-Violent Discipline
Programs include:
1.Integration of education sessions
on positive discipline to PTA
initiatives
2.Capacity building for school
personnel on children’s rights
3.Encouraging support groups
among school personnel and PTA
4.Parenting sessions
DepEd is conducting a
nationwide information
dissemination campaign
with training modules on
positive and non-violent
discipline in classroom
management, anger and
stress management, and
gender sensitivity.
COMPOSITION:
•School Head/Administrator – Chairperson
•Guidance Counselor/ Teacher – Vice
Chairperson
•Representative of the Teachers as
designated by the Faculty Club
•Representative of the Parents as
designated by the PTA
•Representative of pupils/students as
designated by the Supreme Student
Council
•Representative from the Community as
designated by the Punong Barangay,
preferably from the BCPC.
Our children are our future heir of this challenging
world,

With our landmark child protection policy,

Let’s help each other to greatly reduce,

if not outright prevent the occurrence of violence

against children in school.

Through our united efforts, we can make this happen…

ROSEMARIE N. LADRINGAN-GUIDANCE COUNSELOR