Palace Press Officer Claire Castro expressed support for the Municipality of Dumanjug’s goal to limit cellphone use in public schools to improve student concentration and academic performance.
The Palace questioned the reasonableness of Dumanjug’s specific policy, which requires confiscated mobile phones to be held until the end of the school year rather than returning them after class.
The National Government is awaiting the Department of Education's position before considering any nationwide school cellphone ban, noting that many private schools already implement policies allowing post-class phone use.
MALACAÑANG on Monday, June 29, 2026, expressed support for efforts to limit cellphone use in schools to improve student performance but raised questions about the reasonableness of penalties imposed under a local government policy banning mobile phones in public schools.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the National Government recognizes the intent behind the policy implemented by the Municipality of Dumanjug in Cebu, which imposed a total cellphone ban in public schools beginning June 29.
“Maganda naman po yung kanyang layunin para po mas magkaroon ng concentration ang mga bata sa kanilang pag-aaral,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.
(The objective is good because it aims to help students concentrate more on their studies.)
However, Castro said questions remain about the penalties under the policy, particularly the provision that confiscated mobile phones will only be returned at the end of the school year.
“Ang ating nabasa ata ay after the school year. Hindi ko alam kung tama po yung penalty na ibibigay kung makatwiran ba siya o reasonable,” she said.
(Based on what we have read, the confiscated phones will only be returned after the school year. I do not know whether that penalty is appropriate, justified, or reasonable.)
Asked whether the National Government is considering a nationwide ban on cellphone use in schools, Castro said they will wait for the position of the Department of Education (DepEd) but noted that many schools, particularly private institutions, already impose restrictions during class hours.
“May mga schools na po, especially private schools, talagang ban na ang cellphones during classes. Naibabalik naman ito after ng klase so pwede naman nilang gamitin, especially during emergency cases,” she said.
(There are schools, especially private ones, that prohibit cellphone use during classes. The phones are returned after class so students can still use them, especially in emergency situations.)
The Palace’s remarks come amid renewed discussions on school safety and student behavior following a deadly shooting incident involving students in Tacloban City and other reported cases of school violence in various parts of the country.
The Municipality of Dumanjug recently announced a total cellphone ban in public schools, with Mayor Guntrano “Gungun” Gica saying the policy aims to improve academic performance and encourage students to focus on reading, studying and face-to-face interaction. / PNA
