Manila: The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into the possibility of establishing help desks for bullying-related complaints in support of the Department of Education's (DepEd) efforts to ensure the safety and welfare of learners.

According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative aligns with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla for concerned government agencies to ensure that all schools are a safe space conducive to learning and development. PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. acknowledged that bullying requires immediate intervention to prevent it from escalating into more serious offenses or crimes.

He said the move is part of the PNP's support system to the DepEd, which has been initiating measures to ensure the protection of all learners, including the recent proposal for mandatory inspection of bags and the creation of school counselor posts. The school counselor posts were approved by the Civil Service Commission and are expected to strengthen the mental health services available to students.

On the part of the PNP, Nartatez said this could be reinforced with the help desks, through personnel from the Women and Children Protection Desk, which is active in every police station. 'Our coordination with DepEd is continuously being done to provide the best protection to our learners and to make sure that all schools are safe and conducive to learning,' the PNP chief said.

Nartatez assured the public that the PNP would actively participate in efforts to combat bullying, particularly in schools. 'We will strengthen our anti-bullying campaign through close coordination with other concerned agencies and offices,' he said.