GENERAL ARTEMIO RICARTE

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

# 35 Bil – loca, City of Batac, Ilocos Norte
School ID : 340747

School-Based Child
Protection and
Anti-Bullying Policies

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 SCHOOL-BASED CHILD PROTECTION POLICY COMMITTEE

Chairperson : GLADYS G. BUGARIN-LAMPITOC

Designation/Position : Master Teacher II/Officer-in-Charge
CP No : 09083636689

Signature : _____________________________________________________________

Vice -Chairperson : JOE JAYSON CALETENA

Designation/Position : School Guidance Coordinator
CP No : 09997997731/09758589071

Signature : _____________________________________________________________

Member : MICHELLE A. AGULAY

Designation/Position : Teachers’ Representative
CP No : 09338564307

Signature : _____________________________________________________________

Member : SUSAN Y. FRANCO

Designation/Position : GPTA President
CP No : 09154189363

Signature : _____________________________________________________________

Member : SAMANTH U. BARADI

Designation/Position : Supreme Student Government President
CP No : ______________________________

Signature : _____________________________________________________________

Member : JOSELITO BUENAFE BERSALONA

Designation/Position : Barangay Council for the Protection of Children
CP No : _______________________________

Signature : _____________________________________________________________

Approved:
JOANN A. CORPUZ, Ed. D., CESO VI
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Officer- in – Charge, Office of the Schools Division Superintendent
 Table of Contents

I. GENERAL ARTEMIO RICARTE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL POLICY STATEMENT 1

II. DEFINITION OF TERMS (DepEd Order No. 40, s 2012; p-2) 1
III. PREVENTIVE MEASURES 7
IV. PROTECTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES 7
V. PROTOCOL FOR REPORTING 7

The best way to protect children is to empower them to

protect themselves
I. GENERAL ARTEMIO RICARTE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL POLICY STATEMENT

It is the policy of General Artemio Ricarte Senior High School (GARSHS) to create,
promote, and maintain a respectful, safe, secure, stimulating, and supportive learning
environment in order to optimize student learning, safety, and effectiveness. GARSHS upholds
discipline as a very essential element of an educative teaching-learning program and,
therefore, considers maintenance of good discipline among students as a necessary
precondition in establishing a school climate that is conducive to learning. The school also
recognizes that discipline begins at home with parents who are the first and primary
educators and formators for their children. Such formation includes responsibility for social
development, behavior, and discipline. Hence, partnership by the school with parents in the
support of the students’ social, emotional, and academic growth is very much part of the
school’s program. The Child Protection Committee supports the school’s use of a continuum
of positive practices that strive to teach, promote, and reinforce productive behaviors while
providing predictable and supportive consequences to behaviors that are identified as
inappropriate. The Committee also supports the school’s existing progressive approach to
discipline which is incorporated in its Code of Discipline, activities and projects that promote
interpersonal and social skills, and programs that enhance and build healthy relationships.
Finally, the Committee strongly supports the Department of Education’s objective of
promoting a zero-tolerance policy for any act of child abuse, exploitation, violence,
discrimination, bullying, and other forms of peer abuse.

II. DEFINITION OF TERMS (DepEd Order No. 40, s 2012; p-2)

1. Child – refers to any person below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are
unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect,
cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or
condition; (RA 7610). For purposes of this Department Order, the term also includes
pupils or students who may be eighteen (18) years of age or older but are in school.

2. Children in school – refers to bona fide students or learners who are enrolled in the
basic education system, whether regular, irregular, transferee or repeater, including
those who have been temporarily out of school, who are in the school or learning
centers premises or participating in school-sanctioned activities.

3. Pupil, student or learner – means a child who regularly attends classes in any level
of the basic education system, under the supervision and tutelage of a teacher or
facilitator.
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4. School personnel – means the persons, singly or collectively, working in a public or
private school. They are classified as follows:
a. School Head – refers to the chief executive officer or administrator of a public
or private school or learning center.
b. Other school officials – include other school officers, including teachers, who
are occupying supervisory positions or positions of responsibility, and are
involved in policy formulation or implementation in a school.
c. Academic personnel – includes all school personnel who are formally
engaged in actual teaching service or research assignments, either on a full-
time or part-time basis, as well as those who possess certain prescribed
academic functions directly supportive of teaching, such as registrars,
librarians, guidance counselors, researchers, and other similar persons. They
may include school officials who are responsible for academic matters, and
other school officials.
d. Other personnel – includes all other non-academic personnel in school,
whatever my be the nature of their appointment and status of employment.

5. Child Protection – refers to programs, services, procedures and structures that are
intended to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination, and
violence.

6. Parents – refers to biological parents, step-parents, adoptive parents, and the

common law spouse or partner of the parent.

7. Guardians or custodians – refers to legal guardians, foster parents, and other

persons, including relatives or even non-relatives, who have physical custody of the
child.
8. School visitor or guest – refers to any person who visits the school and has official
business with the school, and any person who does not have any official business but
is found within the premises of the school. This may include those who are within the
school premises for certain reasons e.g. student teachers, catechists, service
providers, suppliers, bidders, parents and guardians of other children.

9. Child abuse – refers to the maltreatment of a child, whether habitual or not, which
includes the following:
a) psychological or physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse, and
emotional maltreatment;
b) any act by deeds or words which debases, degrades or demeans the
intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being;

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 c) unreasonable deprivation of the child’s basic needs for survival such as
food and shelter; or
d) failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting
in serious impairment of his or her growth and development or in the
child’s permanent incapacity or death (Sec. 3 [b], RA 7610).

10. Discrimination against children –refers to an act of exclusion, distinction,

restriction or preference which is based on any ground such as age, ethnicity, sex,
sexual orientation and gender, identity, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth, being infected or affected by Human
Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), being
pregnant, , being a child in conflict with the law, being a child with disability or other
status or condition, and which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the
recognition, enjoyment or exercise by all persons, on an equal footing, of all rights and
freedoms.

11. Child exploitation– refers to the use of children for someone else’s advantage,
gratification or profit often resulting in an unjust, cruel, and harmful treatment of the
child. These activities disrupt the child’s normal physical and mental health,
education, moral or social emotional development. It covers situations of
manipulation, misuse, abuse, victimization, oppression, or ill-treatment.

There are two (2) main forms of child exploitation that are recognized:

a. Sexual exploitation – refers to the abuse of a position of vulnerability,

differential power, or trust for sexual purposes. It includes, but is not limited
to forcing a child to participate in prostitution or the production of
pornographic materials, as a result of being subjected to a threat, deception,
coercion, abduction, force, abuse of authority, debt bondage, fraud or
through abuse of a victim’s vulnerability.
b. Economic exploitation – refers to the use of a child in work or other
activities for the benefit of others. Economic exploitation involves a certain
gain or profit through the production, distribution, and consumption of good
and services. This includes, but is not limited to illegal child labor as defined
in RA 9231.

12. Violence against children committed in school – 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,

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 coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. It includes, but is not limited
to, the following acts:
a. Physical violence refers to acts that inflict bodily or physical harm. It includes
assigning children to perform tasks which are hazardous to their physical
wellbeing;
b. Sexual violence refers to acts that are sexual in nature. It includes, but is not
limited to,
1. Rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, making
demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, physically attacking
the sexual parts of the victim’s body;
2. Forcing the child to watch obscene publications and indecent
shows or forcing the child to do indecent sexual acts and/or to
engage or be involved in, the creation or distribution of such films,
indecent publication or material; and
3. Acts causing or attempting to cause the child to engage in any
sexual activity by force, threat of force, physical or other harm or
threat of physical or other harm or coercion or through
inducements, gifts or favors.
c. Psychological violence refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause
mental or emotional suffering of the child, such as but not limited to
intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or
humiliation, deduction or threat of deduction from grade or merit as a form
of punishment, and repeated verbal abuse.
d. Other acts of violence of a physical, sexual or psychological nature that are
prejudicial to the best interest of the child.

13. Bullying or Peer Abuse – refers to willful aggressive behavior that is directed
towards a particular victim who may be outnumbered, younger, weak, with disability,
less confident, or otherwise vulnerable. More particularly:
a. Bullying – is committed when a student commits an act or a series of acts
directed towards another student, or a series of single acts directed towards
several students in a school setting or a place of learning, which results in
physical and mental abuse, harassment, intimidation, or humiliation. Such
acts may consist of one or more of the following:
1. Threats to inflict a wrong upon a person, honor or property of the
person or on his or her family;
2. Stalking or constantly following or pursuing a person in his or her
daily activities with unwanted and obsessive attention;
3. Taking of property;

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 4. Public humiliation, or public and malicious imputation of a crime
or of a vice or defect, whether real or imaginary, or any act,
omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause
dishonor, discredit, or expose a person to contempt.
5. Deliberate destruction or defacement of, or damage to the child’s
property;
6. Physical violence committed upon a student, which may or may
not result to harm or injury, with or without the aid of a weapon.
Such violence may be in form of mauling, hitting, punching,
kicking, throwing things at the student, pinching, spanking, or
other similar acts;
7. Demanding or requiring sexual or monetary favors, or exacting
money or property, from a pupil or student; and
8. Restraining liberty and freedom from a pupil or student.
b. Cyber-bullying – is 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.

14. Other acts of abuse by a pupil, student or learner – refers to other serious acts of
abuse committed by a pupil, student or learner upon another pupil, student or
learner of the same school, not falling under the definition of “bullying” in the
preceding provisions, including, but not limited to, acts of physical, sexual or
psychological nature.

15. 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. It includes physical, humiliating or degrading punishment,
including, but not limited to the following:
a. Blows such as, but not limited to, beating, kicking, hitting, slapping, or
lashing, or any part of a child’s body, with or without the use of an instrument
such as, but not limited to a cane, broom, stick, whip or belt;
b. Striking of a child’s face or head, such being declared as a “no contact zone”;
c. Pulling hair, shaking, twisting joints, cutting or piercing skin, dragging,
pushing or throwing of a child;

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 d. Forcing a child to perform physically painful or damaging acts such as, but
not limited to, holding a weight or weights for an extended period and
kneeling on stones, salt, pebbles or other objects;
e. Deprivation of a child’s physical needs as a form of punishment;
f. Deliberate exposure to fire, ice, water, smoke, sunlight, rain, pepper, alcohol,
or forcing the child to swallow substances, dangerous chemicals, and other
materials that can cause discomfort or threaten the child’s health, safety and
sense of security such as, but not limited to bleach or insecticides, excrement
or urine;
g. Tying up a child;
h. Confinement, imprisonment or depriving the liberty of a child;
i. Verbal abuse or assaults, including intimidation or threat of bodily harm,
swearing or cursing, ridiculing or denigrating the child;
j. Forcing a child to wear a sign, to undress or disrobe, or to put on anything
that will make a child look or feel foolish, which belittles or humiliates the
child in front of others;
k. Permanent confiscation of personal property of pupils, students or learners,
except when such pieces of property pose a danger to the child or to others;
and
l. Other analogous acts.

16. Positive and Non-violent Discipline of children – is a way of thinking and a holistic,
constructive, and pro-active approach to teaching that helps children develop
appropriate thinking and behavior in the short and long-term and fosters self-
discipline. It is based on the fundamental principle that children are full human beings
with basic human rights. Positive discipline begins with setting the long –term goals or
impacts that teachers want to have on their students’ adult lives, and using everyday
situations and challenges as opportunities to teach long-life skills and values to
students.

a. Progressive discipline – a whole-school approach that utilizes a continuum

of prevention programs, interventions, supports, and consequences to
address inappropriate student behavior and to build upon strategies that
promote and foster positive and productive behavior. This means that when
inappropriate behavior occurs, disciplinary measures are applied within a
framework that shifts the focus from one that is solely punitive to one that is
both corrective and supportive.

b. Restorative discipline – a type of discipline used to respond to incidents of

bullying in order to repair harm to relationships. It refers to a range of
processes that are underpinned by the following concepts:
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 1) Misconduct is a violation of people and relationships
2) These violations create obligations and liabilities
3) Problem-solving focuses on healing and making things right

III. PREVENTIVE MEASURES to address child abuse, exploitation, violence,

discrimination, bullying, and other acts of abuse
Capacity Building Activities

1. Professional leadership
2. Focus on teaching and learning
3. Purposeful teaching
4. Shared vision and goals
5. Whole-school programs
6. Collaboration and partnerships
7. Accountability
8. School-wide positive behavior support
9. Promoting cyber safety and preventing cyber bullying
10. Parenting orientation and seminars on effective parenting
11. In-service training and Fellowship meetings for school
administrators, teachers and nonacademic personnel Training
Topics;

- Values Integration
- Discipline with Dignity (Positive discipline versus
corporal punishment)
- Conducting positive parent-teacher conferences and family counseling
- Classroom Management
- Anger and Stress Management

IV. PROTECTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES

1. Assertiveness training

2. Bystander training

3. Restorative practices

4. Friendly schools and families program

V. PROTOCOL FOR REPORTING

A. Reporting acts of child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying, other
acts of abuse, or any violation of the Code of Discipline

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NOTE: When any report/complaint is raised (provided the person complained of is
not a member of school personnel), the complainant is immediately attended to.
Assessment is made if the complainant is fully aware of the circumstances that
warrant validation of his/her accusation. He/she is informed of the requirements of
a formal complaint and the consequences of such.

1. Report of the student-victim

Cases involving physical injury are dealt with in accordance with the Code of
Discipline stipulated in the Student Handbook and in accordance with the
provisions of Republic Act 9344 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

The injured student is brought directly to the school clinic. The student’s
class adviser and the School Head are promptly apprised.

The School Nurse diagnoses the student and gives him/her the necessary
first aid treatment. If additional hospital emergency treatment is necessary,
the school nurse informs the parents of the injured students through the
phone and seeks their permission regarding the recommended transfer to a
hospital.

Later, the School Nurse/Clinic Teacher prepares a written medical report for
the parents the school clinic’s file records. The teacher or school personnel
who witnessed the incident or who was first at the scene of the incident fills
out an Incident Report for submission to the POD.

When/If the victim is able, he/she is requested to write a narrative of the

incident which is later attached to the Intake Sheet if the incident is later
decided as a case of bullying. If he/she is unable to write a narrative by
himself, the POD will take notes as he/she interviews the victim about the
incident.

2. Report of student who allegedly witnessed an act of abuse or violation of the

Code of Discipline (among students)

The student-witness reports to his/her class adviser. The teacher-adviser

must take down notes of any verbal reports and have these notes validated
by the student who is the source of the verbal incident report. The teacher
will later request the student to write a narrative, but only if he/she is willing
and able to do so.

3. Report of teacher who witnessed an act of child abuse (among students) or

violation of the Code of Discipline

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 If the teacher witnessed or has validated an act of child abuse or violation of
the Code of Discipline, she is to accomplish an Incident Report for submission
to the POD.

4. Report and referral of a student allegedly involved in any form of altercation

and/or physical dispute outside the school involving persons who are not
members of the school community.

When any member of the school, whether student or school personnel is

reported to have been involved in a dispute outside the school with persons
who are not members of the school community, an incident report may be
filed and submitted to the school administrator under whose jurisdiction the
involved student or personnel belongs.

5. Report and referral of a student allegedly being physically hurt, abused by

his/her own parents.

When physical injury imposed upon any of our students by their own parents
is validated through narratives or statements, all pertinent documents are
presented to the School Head.

6. Reporting Anonymously

Anonymous reports of any form of child abuse or violation of the Code of

Discipline are entertained but even if the perpetrator is found guilty,
(technically) no disciplinary/administrative action can be taken.

7. Reporting False Information

If a student or school employee is found guilty of deliberately making a false

accusation, he/she will be subject to disciplinary/administrative action.

* Copies of Intake Sheets are submitted to the Division Office after each
school year.

B. Responding to Reports of child abuse or any violation of the Code of Discipline

1. Responding to reports when both the offender and victim are students
a. The students involved in the reported case are met separately for a dialogue
with the POD. They are requested to narrate the incident orally and in
writing, if willing (in the presence of a teacher/adviser). The POD listens,
takes down pertinent notes, assesses the information particularly if there is
need for any of the involved parties to be protected; and then, explains the
procedure that is to follow. The POD restores the sense of safety for the
victim as well as for the alleged offender.
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b. Investigation/gathering of sufficient documentation of supporting evidence
commences. After this, involved parties are asked to face each other to
further validate statements or gathered information; but only if they are
willing to do so.

c. If the incident is deemed as a petty conflict, or misunderstanding,

unintentional and not a deliberate act of abuse, the students are met by the
POD separately or together for a dialogue (depending on the willingness of
both parties). The objective of the dialogue is explained to the students and
they are made to realize what had transpired and what changes in behavior
are expected. They are reminded that if a similar incident occurs, they will be
dealt with accordingly. An Incident Report is accomplished by the POD. It
should contain the resolutions during the dialogues and recommendations,
if any.

d. For bullying cases, an intake sheet is accomplished by the POD in lieu of any
other adult reporting the incident; initial narrative reports written by the
students in the presence of his/her teacher-adviser during the investigation,
if any, are attached.

e. The Principal is apprised immediately about any and all incidents.

f. Parents of both students are informed immediately after the incident. They
are called for a special conference by the POD on separate time schedules for
formal relaying of the incident, what has been done, and to explain the
process that is to follow. The parents are called back to school as soon as
sufficient and validated information is collected.

g. Depending on the appraisal of the Office of Discipline or POD, the Disciplinary

Board is gathered to deliberate and decide on the case. The result of
deliberations is recommendatory in nature, for the approval of the Principal.

h. As soon as the sanction or course of action is approved, the parents of both

parties are formally informed. They are asked to sign a document certifying
that they were properly informed and that due process was undertaken. It
also certifies that they accept the decision of the Disciplinary Board/Child
Protection Committee and that they will cooperate with the measures to be
taken for intervention, prevention, and restorative justice.

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 i. If the Disciplinary Board/Child Protection Committee decides that the
violation warrants exclusion or the like, the case is brought to the Schools
Division Office further deliberation.

2. Responding to Reports when the aggressor is a teacher/employee

For prohibited acts committed by school personnel or official against a learner such as
child abuse, violence, discrimination, refer to DepEd Order #40, s. 2012).

a. The alleged teacher/employee accused of child abuse or violation of the Code

of Discipline is informed in writing and is given 5 days to respond to the
allegation.
b. Validation is further done by seeking both verbal and written narratives from
witnesses, if possible.
c. Prior to the Disciplinary Board Hearing, all pertinent documents/reports
including the written response of the accused are studied by the
administrators who will be hearing the case. The administrator-counsel
assists the accused to be emotionally and psychologically prepared.
d. The Disciplinary Board Meeting is scheduled and held. The accused is given
an opportunity to defend himself/herself in front of the Disciplinary Board.
e. A decision is reached and released as soon as possible.
f. The accused is met by his/her immediate superior for the result of the
deliberation.
g. All personalities involved (victim, alleged offender, parents of the victim) are
regularly apprised as due process is carried out.
3. Responding to a report and referral of a student allegedly involved in any form of
altercation and/or physical dispute outside the school involving persons who are not
members of the school community.

Although the school is no longer directly accountable for incidents outside the school,
it upholds a degree of responsibility to ensure the safety of its students and personnel.
Depending on the gravity of the incident and the potential threat to the life and safety
of the involved student or personnel, the CPC representative from the Barangay is
notified/consulted.

After investigation and due process, appropriate disciplinary action may be imposed
on the erring student or personnel if he/she is found guilty of violating the student or
personnel Code of Discipline.

4. Responding to a report and referral of a student allegedly being physically hurt,

abused by his/her own parents.

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 The School Head may refer the case to the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) for assessment. The Parents Assembly may also be asked to
assist in the case. The DSWD shall determine the appropriate intervention.

If the victim is determined to be at risk, the school Head, with the aid of the assigned
Guidance Counselor/Teacher, and in coordination with the DSWD, shall immediately
remove the victim, or in appropriate cases, the offender, from the place of the
incident. The child’s family shall be informed of any action taken.

C. Protecting from Retaliation

Fear of retaliation is a normal feeling experienced by all individuals involved in the case: the
victim, the accused, and the witness, complainant or person responsible for
exposing/reporting the person guilty of abusing another or any other acts in violation of the
Code of Discipline. It is the responsibility of the school authority assigned to each case to
ensure the safety of all these parties.

The following measures are taken:

1. All individuals involved in the case are given stern warning that while investigation
is ongoing, there is not to be any form of retaliation or any form of negative reaction
from anyone. If deemed necessary, they are asked to stay away from one another.
2. If there is a potential threat of physical retaliation from the erring individual, he/she
is put under preventive suspension. Parents are advised to take precautionary
measures while the student is not in school.
3. While in school, the class advisers of the students of the parties involved assume
responsibility over the student under their care against possible retaliation. These
class advisers, along with the Prefect of Discipline monitor the day-to-day activities
and behavior of the students involved in the case.
4. Protective measures (listed in IV) are implemented
5. Depending on the degree of the offense as decided by the Disciplinary Board/CPC
and School Head, the individuals involved in the case go through one or more
guidance and rehabilitation sessions:

a. Guidance/rehabilitation sessions with the division counselor

b. Guidance/rehabilitation sessions with Christian Life Center mentors

*These sessions help reconcile differences among the involved; fear of retaliation
is negated; civil, if not cordial relationships are reestablished.

*Specifically, for first-time bullying incidents, the following restorative measures

are taken (depending on the gravity):

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a. Peace-making between parties involved. This involves the voluntary
expression of remorse, forgiveness, and restoration of reciprocal
friendship; thus, re-establishing a sense of safety and trust.
b. Witnessing among peers. The student may speak before his peers about
the experience and what he/she has learned from it.

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