Vice Governor Glenn Anthony Soco and Cebu City Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr. are advocating for the regulation of mobile phone use in schools rather than implementing a total ban.
The NBI 7 plans to launch an information campaign on July 10, 2026, focusing on cybersecurity, digital responsibility, and campus security for students from Grade 1 to Grade 12.
These discussions follow a total cellphone ban and strict school entry policy announced by Dumanjug Mayor Efren Guntrano “Gungun” Gica, prompted by a June 22 school shooting in Tacloban City.
CEBU officials are pushing for tighter regulation of mobile phone use in schools while law enforcement agencies prepare campus safety campaigns, as local leaders favor balanced restrictions and stronger digital education over an outright gadget ban following the recent school shooting in Tacloban City.
Vice Gov. Glenn Anthony Soco said the Provincial Board (PB) will study possible legislative measures to protect students, while the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 is set to launch information campaigns on cybersecurity, digital responsibility and campus security in coordination with schools across Cebu. In Cebu City, Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr. also backed regulating cellphone use in classrooms as part of a broader school safety and digital wellness program rather than imposing a total ban.
In a phone interview on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Soco said he will discuss the matter with fellow PB members to determine what measures can be adopted. His remarks came after Dumanjug Mayor Efren Guntrano “Gungun” Gica announced a total cellphone ban in public and private schools in the town beginning in August.
“Our position is always to respect the actions of the local government units. Since they are the ones on the ground, they will understand the situation firsthand,” Soco said.
The school safety initiatives followed the June 22 mass shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban involving two suspects aged 14 and 15, which left three students dead and 20 others injured, prompting renewed calls for stronger security measures in schools.
Regulation over prohibition
Soco said the PB will review existing laws to determine whether provincial policies should be harmonized with regulations adopted by individual towns and cities, although he maintained that regulation is preferable to a complete ban.
“I am more for regulation rather than total ban,” he said.
He pointed out that many private schools already prohibit students from using mobile phones during class, with devices temporarily confiscated until the end of the school day if rules are violated.
“There are some lectures or lessons that are also coursed through the gadgets, where the gadgets are needed. So these are things that need to be studied,” he said.
Soco added that protecting students requires a whole-of-government approach because many threats begin outside school campuses.
Following the June 22 shooting, Gica announced that Dumanjug schools will enforce a no inspection, no entry policy, confiscate sharp objects and deadly weapons and prohibit cellular phones inside campuses.
In a separate Facebook post on Monday, June 29, Gica said confiscated cellphones would be returned at the end of the school year, although parents may claim the devices earlier from the principal’s office. Basic or feature phones, also known as keypad phones in the Philippines, will remain allowed.
School safety measures
Beyond classroom policies, Soco said the Province should also examine gun ownership, responsible parenting, counseling services and mental health support for students.
He also raised the possibility of a provincial ordinance carrying penalties to strengthen guidance and counseling services.
When asked about limiting violent online games, Soco said the technology sector requires a broader review and suggested seeking technical assistance from the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
“In the field of social media, internet, it’s boundaryless, it’s limitless... The only way to deal with it is also through technology,” Soco said.
The PB has yet to pass any ordinance covering cellphone restrictions in schools or accountability for gun owners, according to Soco.
Cebu City, NBI 7 launch initiatives
In Cebu City, Councilor Alcover echoed Soco’s position during a privilege speech at the City Council’s regular session on Tuesday, saying cellphone regulation should form part of a wider school safety and digital wellness program.
“The unnecessary use of cellular phones during class often results in distractions, cyberbullying, unauthorized recording of teachers and classmates, online gaming, social media engagement and other activities that undermine classroom discipline and diminish the quality of instruction,” Alcover said.
He said students should still be allowed to use mobile phones when authorized by teachers for educational purposes or during emergencies.
“It is possible for us to regulate this, maybe with the cooperation of school teachers, where phones can be deposited and then retrieved after class,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Councilor Alvin Arcilla urged Alcover to file an ordinance regulating cellphone use in public and private schools during class hours. Alcover said he has drafted the proposed measure and expects to file it next week.
Mayor Nestor Archival said the City will first observe the results of Dumanjug’s policy and has no plans to impose a similar ban for now.
Meanwhile, NBI 7 has been directed to strengthen coordination with academic institutions to help keep schools as peace zones.
NBI 7 agent Maria Contessa “Coco” Lastimoso said an information drive for students, teachers and parents will begin on July 10 at a private school in Cebu City, with learning modules prepared for students from Grade 1 to Grade 12.
“The reason why they have been chosen is because they actively reached out to us. But this does not preclude that we will limit it to private schools, but definitely we will have an active campaign in the public schools as well,” Lastimoso said.
She said the campaign will cover cybersecurity, internet etiquette and physical security. Students will learn how to protect personal information, detect online scams and phishing attempts, practice respectful online behavior, prevent cyberbullying, respond to online harassment and follow campus safety and emergency preparedness measures.
Newly appointed NBI 7 Director Dominador Cimafranca said colleges and universities will also be included in the campaign through partnerships with the Department of Education, local education boards and other stakeholders. / CDF, DPC & GERVIE PALUGA, UP CEBU INTERN