Another Filipino Facebook user has posted a graphic which again claims that under the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 or Republic Act 10627 calling someone ‘fat’ or ‘dark-skinned’ is punishable with a fine of P20,000 and the victim of verbal bullying can file charges. This is false.
Published on June 21, a graphic bearing the image of the FB user carried the text:
“Under R.A. 10627. Pwede mong kasuhan ang nagsabi sa’yong “ang taba mo!,”
“maitim ka” o pweding singilin ng 20,000 pesos.” (You can file a case against anyone who says “you’re fat!,” “you’re dark-skinned!” or charge them P20,000.)
The legislation was specifically designed to prevent acts of bullying by requiring schools to implement appropriate disciplinary actions and create intervention strategies in handling such cases.
Section 2 of R.A. No. 10627 includes name-calling in their definition of acts of bullying that can be classified under ‘slanderous statement or accusation that causes undue emotional distress’ to the victim. It only covers elementary and high school students.
There are no specific provisions in the law on filing charges or slapping fines for acts of bullying, but its implementing rules and regulations state that the Department of Education may suspend the permit of private schools that fail to comply with the law.
Public school personnel, on the other hand, may be subjected to administrative disciplinary action for non-compliance. No fines were tied to these sanctions.
The post circulated four days after the June 16 opening of classes in public schools for this academic year.
VERA Files has previously fact-checked a similar claim.
(READ: NO P20k anti-bullying penalty for ‘maitim’ name-calling)
The erroneous post has so far garnered 26,921 reactions, 3,838 comments and 35,941 shares.
Editor’s note: This fact check was produced with the help of a journalism student of the University of the Philippines Diliman as part of their internship at VERA Files
