Bullying tops Filipinos’ perceived causes of school violence — survey

Bullying tops the list of reasons Filipino adults associate with the rise in school violence, with more than 3 in 4, or 77.2%, identifying it as a key factor, according to the August 2026 National Momentum Survey released by Momentum Research on Sept. 2.

The non-commissioned survey, conducted Aug. 18-23, also found that 93.2% of Filipino adults consider school violence a problem.

This includes 81.7% who described school violence in the country as a very big problem and 11.5% who called it a somewhat big problem.

Concern is similarly widespread when respondents are asked about their own children or relatives in school, with 96.2% saying they are worried these students could become victims of school violence.

This comprises 69.0% who said they are very concerned and 27.2% who said they are concerned.

Momentum Research said the findings come amid heightened public and legislative attention to school safety following multiple school shootings, stabbing incidents, and bomb threats involving students across the country.

Fieldwork began on the same day a student opened fire inside the junior high school building of Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City, killing a schoolmate and livestreaming the attack before taking his own life, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.

The Zamboanga attack came less than two months after two students, aged 14 and 15, opened fire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, leaving three students dead and 20 others injured, according to Rappler.

The Senate has since initiated a legislative inquiry into recent cases of school violence, the effectiveness of existing security measures, and possible steps to prevent similar incidents.

The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, opened hearings on the Tacloban shooting on July 1, with part of the inquiry focused on the online grooming and radicalization of children toward violence, Rappler reported.

Momentum Research said lawmakers and government agencies are also looking into how access to firearms and children’s exposure to digital platforms may contribute to school violence.

Since the survey’s release, a third deadly school shooting took place on Sept. 18 at Banga National High School in Banga, South Cotabato, where three students, including the shooter, were killed and six others were wounded, according to South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla later said the Banga shooter had been heavily involved in activities on the “deep dark web,” Philstar.com reported.

What Filipinos think are the top reasons for school violence

Respondents were asked to choose up to three reasons from nine possible factors behind the increase in violence in schools.

Bullying among fellow students was the most commonly cited factor, at 77.2%.

This was followed by weak school security at 38.0%, negative influence of social media, including violent content, at 36.3%, drug or alcohol use at 33.7%, and easy access to firearms at 19.2%.

Mental health problems ranked sixth, at 18.2%.

Family problems (16.4%), lack of guidance counselors (13.5%), and poverty (7.3%) rounded out the list.

Another 0.8% said none of the listed factors applied, while 1.4% did not know, were unsure, or declined to answer.

What each generation thinks is the top reason for school violence

Bullying was the most cited reason in every generation, but the share citing it declined with age.

About 83.6% of Gen Z and 82.9% of millennial respondents cited bullying, compared with 70.3% of Gen X and 58.6% of baby boomers and the Silent Generation.

Drug or alcohol use ranked as the second most cited reason among Gen X respondents, at 36.5%, narrowly ahead of weak school security at 36.4%.

It was also the second most cited reason among baby boomers and the Silent Generation, at 33.5%.

Among younger respondents, the negative influence of social media and violent online content ranked in the top three reasons, placing second among Gen Z (40.3%) and third among millennials (41.7%).

Millennials were the most likely to cite weak school security, at 46.0%, making it their second most cited reason.

Gen Z respondents were the most likely to cite easy access to firearms, at 26.8%, compared with 17.2% of millennials, 14.9% of Gen X, and 13.1% of baby boomers and the Silent Generation.

Among baby boomers and the Silent Generation, lack of guidance counselors (24.3%) and family problems (22.9%) also ranked in the top five reasons.

The oldest group was also the most likely to cite poverty, at 15.2%, compared with 9.1% of Gen X, 6.8% of millennials, and 3.2% of Gen Z.

Stronger school security, anti-bullying programs seen as top government priorities

When asked what the government should prioritize to prevent school violence, 75.8%, or about 3 in 4 adults, favored stronger security in schools, making it the most widely supported intervention.

Stronger anti-bullying programs followed, at 53.7%.

Other priorities included better mental health services, especially in schools (30.4%), tighter monitoring of social media and online content (26.1%), and stricter enforcement of gun laws (26.0%).

Heavier penalties for offenders drew 23.0%, while support for poor families drew 16.3%.

Another 1.0% chose none of the options, and 1.4% did not know, were unsure, or declined to answer.

Momentum Research said the findings point to a two-pronged concern: while bullying is the leading factor Filipinos associate with rising school violence, school security remains the most immediate priority they want the government to address.

Stronger school security ranked first in every generation, with support highest among Gen Z at 81.6% and millennials at 81.3%, compared with 67.9% of Gen X and 60.3% of baby boomers and the Silent Generation.

Millennials showed the strongest support for anti-bullying programs, at 63.7%, compared with 55.6% of Gen Z, 48.0% of Gen X, and 33.2% of baby boomers and the Silent Generation.

Gen Z respondents placed greater emphasis on mental health services in schools, at 40.0%, at least 10 percentage points higher than any other generation.

Gen Z also led in support for stricter enforcement of gun laws, with about a third, or 34.5%, saying the government should prioritize it to prevent more incidents of school violence.

For baby boomers and the Silent Generation, family and socioeconomic factors stood out, with 30.0% favoring greater government support for poor families, compared with 17.9% of Gen X, 15.4% of Gen Z, and 10.8% of millennials.

Millennials were the most likely to favor tighter monitoring of social media and online content, at 30.0%, and heavier penalties for offenders, at 28.1%.

Overall, Momentum Research said the findings suggest school violence is a shared concern across generations, even as Filipinos differ slightly on its perceived causes and on which interventions the government should prioritize.

The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,487 Filipino adults and has a national margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

Subnational margins of error are plus or minus 6.9 percentage points for the National Capital Region, 3.8 for the rest of Luzon (North, South, and Central Luzon), 5.8 for the Visayas, and 5.5 for Mindanao, all at a 95% confidence level.

Momentum Research did not release regional breakdowns of the school violence results.

The August 2026 issue of the survey also covered government performance, the impeachment trial, voting intentions for the 2028 national elections, and other national issues, including Pax Silica, systems loss, the minimum wage, and the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

Momentum Research describes itself as a nonpartisan public opinion research firm and The National Momentum Survey as its flagship, non-commissioned initiative.

Students, parents, and teachers may reach the Department of Education’s Learners TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline at #33733 (#DEPED) or 0945-175-9777.