MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has earmarked at least P100 million to fund the Kaagapay Program, a new initiative focused on bullying prevention, values formation, and learner support.
DepEd Undersecretary Fatima Panontongan issued DepEd Memorandum No. 2 on Jan. 9, providing implementing guidelines for the program, which aims to empower the school community to address bullying and promote positive learning environments.
“The program supports parents, guardians and caregivers of public school learners in strengthening home-based learning and complementing classroom instruction, encouraging positive discipline and promoting safe, nurturing and inclusive learning environments,” Panontongan said.
The Kaagapay Program seeks to reinforce the learning, behavioral, and socio-emotional objectives outlined in the K-12 Basic Education Curriculum, including homeroom guidance, Good Manners and Right Conduct, and Values Education.
It also aims to raise awareness and equip schools with tools for preventing, identifying, and addressing bullying, working in collaboration with local child-protection mechanisms.
DepEd emphasized that the program is grounded in the principle that holistic learner development requires a collective effort, recognizing parents, guardians, and caregivers as “indispensable co-educators” whose daily interactions shape literacy, numeracy, values, and attitudes toward learning long before and after formal instruction.