The Office of the Prefect of Discipline, under the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Welfare, and supported by the Parent-Teachers Association Tertiary Level Officer (PTA-TL), hosted a seminar this March 17, 2026 with the esteemed Education lawyer, Atty. Joseph Noel “Erap” M. Estrada as resource speaker. The theme for the event was: “IT TAKES TWO: Building Discipline Through Parents and School Partnerships” which highlighted the need and importance of both parents and teachers in child protection, welfare, and discipline.
The seminar was attended by teachers, parents, students, and guests from Bacolod Tay Tung High School and University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos. As the audience, they were informed about their individual role and what they can do to be proactive members of the school and society. Mr. Stephen John P. Santos, the school’s Alumni Officer served as the emcee for the talk. Dr. Grace Marie T. David, Ph.D., RGC, the school’s Guidance and Testing Center Director gave the opening remarks where she emphasized that the child’s environment determines their own holistic development.
The talk proceeded with the introduction of Atty. Estrada who started his talk by stressing and reiterating how teachers and parents hold great responsibility for students’ welfare as there were rampant cases of student-based involvement and violence across the country. He relayed that the prospect of the parents in child-rearing is embedded in the 1987 Philippine Constitution particularly in Article II, Section 12 where: “the natural and primary right and duty of parents rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and development of moral character shall receive the support of the Government.” Although, when parents do send their children to school for formal education, the responsibility of being special parents is attributed to teachers themselves. That is in conjecture with the maxim “in loco parentis” where the role of teachers as special and even, second parents come in place. The parents’ role in turn is to cooperate with the school in the implementation of the school program both for curricular and co-curricular. The school itself is also liable to student’s safety and protection and should always keep in mind that their welfare is a top priority. On the other hand, the obligations of the students therefore lie with them studying well and following school rules and regulations.
Atty. Estrada had enriched his talk with cases he had handled and how these connect to laws and provisions ascribed in the constitution and an institution. He said that in terms of bullying in school, the teacher has the liability in disciplining the students especially if they are in their custody. Furthermore, the parents themselves should also guide their respective children to be upstanding citizen.
The talk, “It Takes Two” proved to be a much-needed seminar for both the teachers and the parents and even to the students involved. It does take two to hone and rear Filipino children to be the hope of the motherland.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/ColegioSanAgustin.Bacolod/posts/1342229067936377
