TUGUEGARAO CITY, Oct. 13 (PNA) — At least 100 students from various schools in Baggao, Cagayan joined the Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) that was spearheaded by the Philippine Army (PA) over the weekend in Baggao National Agricultural School (BNAS) in Barangay Sta. Margarita.
Leslie Domingo, principal of BNAS, lauded the personnel of Civil Relations Service (CRS) and 17th Infantry Battalion (17th IB), Philippine Army in organizing the event that helped the students to become a role model to their fellow youth.
According to Domingo, the 135 participants from different secondary schools in the municipality of Baggao were taught how to become a good leader and instill in their mind the essence of belongingness.
The said activity, according to Philippine Army, aims to enhance values orientation, sports skills, and the leadership qualities of the participants, that is why a series of workshops and lectures on use of illegal drugs, values, human rights and other topics that will support the commitment of the government troops in youth development were discussed.
Some of the resource speakers tackled also in the said summit the Anti-bullying Act wherein they advised the students and teachers not to engage in bullying.
It was defined under Republic Act No. 10627 otherwise known as the “Anti-Bullying Act of 2013” that bullying is any severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property.
It also includes acts that create a hostile environment at school for the bully’s victim and which infringes on the rights of the victim.
Any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim like punching, pushing, shoving, kicking, slapping, tickling, headlocks, and inflicting school pranks, teasing, fighting and the use of available objects as weapons are prohibited.
The law prohibits cyber-bullying or any bullying done through the use of technology or any electronic means.
Under the law, in addition to the disciplinary sanctions imposed upon a perpetrator of bullying or retaliation, a bully would be required to undergo rehabilitation program administered by the school. The parents of the bully shall be encouraged by the institution to join the rehabilitation program.
The Philippine Army was set to conduct the same activity to other schools to strengthen their camaraderie or unity to youth organizations in sustaining the momentum of its peace effort. (PNA)