CAGAYAN de Oro City — Children facing bullying online could soon receive stronger protection as the City Council pushes to update Cagayan de Oro's 13-year-old anti-bullying ordinance to address cyberbullying and other forms of digital harassment.
During the City Council's regular session on June 29, Councilor Desiree Ann Dahino urged the passage of her proposed ordinance, saying the city's 2013 anti-bullying measure no longer reflects how bullying affects young people today.
A psychometrician and chairperson of the Committee on Family Relations, Dahino said many children now experience bullying through social media and digital platforms, yet some remain afraid to speak up.
She said victims often stay silent out of fear, shame, or concern about burdening their parents, making it even more important for the city to strengthen reporting and intervention systems.
The proposed ordinance formally recognizes cyberbullying alongside physical and verbal bullying while requiring stronger reporting, response, and support mechanisms to better protect children in schools and online.
It also proposes keeping school records for students found responsible for bullying, which Dahino said could encourage better behavior and accountability.
She noted that when the ordinance was passed in 2013, most bullying happened inside schools, while today's children face new risks in digital spaces that existing policies do not fully cover.
Majority Floor Leader Edgar Cabanlas backed the proposal, saying bullying has changed significantly over the years and now requires updated policies that match the realities faced by today's youth.
The proposed ordinance is currently under review by the City Legal Office before it returns to the City Council for further deliberation.
If approved, the updated ordinance would expand protection for children against cyberbullying, strengthen how cases are reported and handled, and help schools and the city respond more effectively to online and offline bullying.
