TAPOS na ang Pasko at panahon na ng pagpapatawad. Ngunit iba ang magpatawad sa makalimot. Now it can be told. I was also bullied in High School – a prestigious Science School no less, for supposedly gifted children. Kahit saan pala may potential na bully, at mas maraming mga naging biktima na piniling tumahimik. Kailan lamang ay kumalat sa social media ang mukha ng isang bully at ang galit na reaksiyon ng libo-libong Filipino.
Circa 1974, 2nd day ng pasok at ako’y wala pang kakilala dahil nag-iisa akong pumasa mula sa mababang paaralan at pi-nalad na matanggap sa mataas na paaralan ng Pang-Agham. Recess noon at ang marami ay abala sa pagbili sa canteen ng merienda. Sapat lang na pamasahe ang lagi kong baon kaya’t ako ay may dalang lunchbox na may lamang kanin at ulam – pang-recess at pananghalian. Pinagtawanan ng marami dahil sa ubod ng laki nito. Napahiya ako kaya dali-dali akong tumungo sa CR para magtago. Sinundan ako ng tatlong 2nd year students. Nagkunwari akong umiihi ngunit ni-lapitan at sinikmuraan. “Papalag ka?” pangungutya niya, bagama’t maliit siya kaysa sa akin. Hindi ako nakasagot, at sa buong isang taon, ako’y naghahanap ng matataguan. 40+ years later at ito’y hindi ko pa nalilimutan.
NO TO BULLYING
Hindi na bago ito. Bullied students, and their parents as well, need not be helpless. Under Philippine laws, bullies can face the consequences of their actions, even charged criminally. Ayon sa Republic Act No. 10627, or the Act Requiring Schools to Adopt Policies to Prevent and Address the Acts of Bullying in their Institutions, this enables students to anonymously report bullying.
The law requires the school principal or any authorized representative to report to the law enforcement agencies if he or she believes the bullying is tantamount to a crime and, thus, criminal charges may be pursued under the Revised Penal Code. Erring private schools shall likewise suffer the penalty of suspension of their permits to operate. Iyon na-man pala eh.
KAHIT SI G.S.P. NA-BULLY
Madalas ko rin pinapangarap matuto ng MMA at nag-iimbento ng laban kung saan ako ang panalo bago matulog. Sub-consciously ito siguro ang paraan ko to deal with the humiliation. Even George St-Pierre, isang UFC champion has long spoken about his tough childhood in Canada. Minsan daw ay nagkita sila sa daan at ang salarin ay namamalimos na.
“I don’t know if he was homeless, but he was asking for money,” St-Pierre said. “When he saw me, he recognized me. I gave him a few dollars and told him: Get out of here…you should be ashamed, you should be embarrassed of what you’re doing, man. You know you’re full of potential.” Dahil sa insidente ay pinilit na magbago ng dating bully at maghanap ng trabaho. In the end nagpasalamat pa siya kay G.S.P.
A BULLY IS NOT BORN
Bullying is when a person deliberately and repeatedly hurts someone else. Bullying includes hitting, pushing, name calling, and teasing. Bullying is a form of aggression that can escalate into violence. Ayon sa isang author, Jack C. West-man M.D., narito ang mga dahilan:
• Physical Punishment –
Parents who use harsh physical punishment is positively correlated with children’s aggressive behavior.
• Watching Aggressive Behavior in Adults – Parents who show aggressive behavior in front of their children also pro-duce aggressive children. They yelled rather than spoke calmly.
• Violent Television – Those who watched violence were more likely to imitate the on-screen character and act violent-ly toward others.
• Problems with Processing Emotions – Aggressive boys or girls often respond aggressively because they are not taught proper communication or interpersonal relationships.
• Part of a More Serious Psychiatric Disease – Studies reveal that conduct disorder puts a child at a higher risk for be-coming antisocial or a psychotic adolescent.
SINTOMAS NG NABU-BULLY
Dapat ang mga magulang ay sensitibo sa nararamdaman ng kanilang anak sa paaralan. At this age they spend more than 1/3 of their life in school.
• Vanishing friends – senyales ito na iniiwasan siya ng iba dahil ayaw madamay sa kanya.
• Changes in mood – they may appear anxious, clingy, or withdrawn.
• Minor injuries – wounds, scratches or muscle pains.
• Binge eating – might skip meals to avoid being bullied.
• Change in sleeping pattern – crying in their sleep or nightmares.
• Failing grades – may find it difficult to focus on schoolwork.
• Lost possessions – bullies could have damaged or stolen their belongings.
HEALING THE VICTIM
Parents, teachers, principals and school administrators must make it clear that they do not tolerate bullying. Among the most harmful aspects of bul-lying are the feelings it creates that the victim is helpless and the situation is hopeless. By refusing to tolerate bullying, adults send the message that the child is not stuck in a helpless situation.
If a child has been bullied for some time, it is important to counteract the effects of that bullying. The damage to the victim of bullying is a lowered self-esteem and sense of self-worth. In order to heal from this damage, the victim needs help building a strong persona. Help the child find tasks at which they can succeed in. We must let these chil-dren know that whatever is happening, they can tell authorities who will support them.
Children don’t always have a voice of their own. We must be that voice.
*Quotes
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