DepEd Child

Protection Policy
SALVACION J. SENAYO, CESE
OIC-Asst. Schools Division Superintendent
SDO Negros Occidental
 Policy and Guidelines on Protecting Children
in School from Abuse, Violence, Exploitation,
Discrimination, Bullying and Other Forms of
Abuse (D.O. 40, s. 2012)
Objective
• To promote a zero-tolerance policy for any
act of child abuse, exploitation, violence,
discrimination, bullying and other forms of
abuse
Purpose
• To provide special protection to children who are
gravely threatened or endangered by circumstances
which affect their normal development and over
which they have no control (Sec. 2, DO 40, s. 2012)
Positive Non-violent Discipline
-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.
Definition of 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).
PROHIBITED ACTS
UNDER CHILD
PROTECTION
POLICY
1. Child Abuse – refers to any acts of maltreatment of a child, whether habitual or
not, which includes any of 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;
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],RA7610).
2. Discrimination Against Children - refers to an act of exclusion, distinction,
restriction or preference which has the purpose of nullifying or impairing the
recognition, enjoyment or exercise by all persons, on an equal footing, of all rights
and freedoms, based on these grounds:

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
3. 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.

a. Sexual exploitation - refers to the abuse of a position of

vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes.
b. Economic exploitation - refers to the use of the child in work or
other activities for the benefit of others.
 4. Violence Against Children 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, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
It includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:

1. Physical violence refers to acts that inflict bodily or physical

harm. It includes assigning children to perform tasks which are
hazardous to their physical well-being.
2. Sexual violence refers to acts that are sexual in nature. It includes, but is
not limited to:
a) rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, making demeaning and
sexually suggestive remarks, physically attacking the sexual parts of the
victim's body;
b. 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

c. 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.
3. 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.

4. Other acts of violence of a physical, sexual or psychological nature

that are prejudicial to the best interest of the child.
"Bullying or Peer Abuse" - refers to willful aggressive behavior that is directed,
towards a particular victim who may be out-numbered, 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 any one or more of the following:
a. Threats to inflict a wrong upon the person, honor or property of
the person or on his or her family;
b. Stalking or constantly following or pursuing a person in his or her
daily activities, with unwanted and obsessive attention;

c. Taking of property;
d. 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;
e. Deliberate destruction or defacement of, or damage to the child's
property;
f. 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 the form of mauling, hitting, punching, kicking,
throwing things at the student, pinching, spanking, or other similar acts;

g. Demanding or requiring sexual or monetary favors, or exacting

money or property, from a pupil or student; and
h. Restraining the liberty and freedom of a pupil or student.
2. Cyber-bullying - is any conduct, 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.

3. “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 a
physical, sexual or psychological nature.
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:
1) Blows such as, but not limited to, beating, kicking, hitting, slapping, or
lashing, of 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;
2) Striking of a child's face or head, such being declared as a "no contact zone";

3) Pulling hair, shaking, twisting joints, cutting or piercing skin, dragging, pushing or
throwing of a child;
4) 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;
5) Deprivation of a child's physical needs as a form of punishment;

6) 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;
7) Tying up a child;
8) Confinement, imprisonment or depriving the liberty of a child;
9. Verbal abuse or assaults, including intimidation or threat of bodily
harm, swearing or cursing, ridiculing or denigrating the child;

10. 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;
11. 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
12. Other analogous acts.
ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION UNDER
THE CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
Who shall report incidents of child abuse?
- the victim or anyone who witnesses or has personal knowledge of
child abuse, exploitation, violence and discrimination incident or any
person who has reasonable grounds to believe that a child has been
abused
Where to file a CA case in public schools?
- complaint shall be filed with the School Head or directly with the
Regional Director or the Schools Division Superintendent

- A school personnel who receives a report concerning CA incident shall

immediately inform the school head.
Where to file CA case in the private schools?
- complaint shall be filed with the school Head/Chief Executive
Director and shall be acted upon pursuant to the school’s rules of
procedures on administrative cases.
- CA cases are not subject to amicable settlement.
- CA cases shall be within the exclusive jurisdiction of the DepEd or the private
school and shall not be brought to the cognizance of the Barangay.

- School officials who willingly or unwittingly facilitate or participate in

the settling of CA cases or influence the complainants to withdraw a
CA case shall be subject to administrative liabilities.
- Cases of CA are not the proper subject of a grievance committee since these are
not grievable offenses.
- The identity or other information that may reasonably identify the
pupil, student or learner, whether the victim or offender, shall be
withheld from the public to protect his or her identity.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Article 218 of the Family Code of the Philippines provides the
following responsibilities of school administrators, teachers, academic
and non- academic and other personnel:

A. Exercise special parental authority and responsibility over the child

while under their supervision, instruction and custody. Authority and
responsibility shall apply to all authorized activities whether inside or
outside the premises of the school, entity or institution.
Articles 220 and 233 of the Family Code of the Philippines, Presidential
Decree No. 603, and other related laws enumerated the following duties and
responsibilities of the abovementioned persons and personnel over the
children under their supervision, instruction and custody:

B. Keep them in their company and support, educate and instruct them by right precept
and good example;

C. Give them love and affection, advice and counsel, companionship and
understanding;
D. Enhance, protect, preserve and maintain their physical and mental
health at all times;

E. Furnish them with good and wholesome educational materials,

supervise their activities, recreation and association with others, protect
them from bad company and prevent them from acquiring habits
detrimental to their health, studies and morals;

F. Represent them in all matters affecting their interests;

G. Inculcate the value of respect and obedience;
H. Practice positive and non-violent discipline, as may be required under
the circumstances; provided, that in no case shall corporal punishment
be inflicted upon them;
I. Perform such other duties as are imposed by law upon them, as
substitute parents or guardians; and
J. School personnel shall also strictly comply with the school's child
protection policy.
Establishment of Child Protection Committee
1. School Head/Administrator-Chairperson
2. Guidance Counselor/ Teacher - Vice Chairperson
3. Representative of the Teachers as designated by the Faculty Club
4. Representative of the Parents as designated by the Parents-Teachers Association

5. Representative of pupils, students and learners as designated by the

Supreme Student Council
6. Representative from the Community as designated by the Punong
Barangay, preferably a member of the Barangay Council for the Protection of
Children (BCPC).