THE Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) is exploring the possibility of amending Davao City's “No Backpack Policy.”
PSSO chief Angel Sumagaysay confirmed they are working with Councilor Luna Acosta, chairperson of the Committee on Peace and Public Safety, to revise the policy.
A meeting will be held with the City Legal Office, Task Force-Davao (TFD), Davao City Police Office (DCPO), PSSO, and Acosta to discuss potential changes.
“Tan-awon ulit nato because, you know, mga reklamo nila, but you know what ang gisandigan gyud ana sa mga security cluster is yung mga EOs and City Ordinances (We will revisit this due to public complaints, but the security cluster primarily relies on Executive Orders and City Ordinances),” he said during the ISpeak media forum, on Thursday morning, April 4, 2025.
Sumagaysay hopes the meeting will result in a "win-win" solution that maintains security protocols. He said that the city’s experience with bombing incidents justifies the current backpack ban, though adjustments may be made based on the meeting's outcome.
The "No Backpack Policy" was first enforced during large events in the city after the Roxas Night bombing on September 2, 2016, which killed 15 and injured 69 people. The policy was later extended to all places of worship after the January 27, 2019 bombing at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu.
In 2019, then-Mayor Sara Duterte, now Vice President, expanded the policy to include all places of worship. Duterte followed up with Executive Order No. 41 in 2020, which encourages Dabawenyos to adopt a "Culture of Security." This order also prohibits backpacks, large bags, and non-transparent water containers during parades, concerts, religious ceremonies, and other mass gatherings.
The discussion about amending the policy gained attention after a viral social media post by Hanna Cano, a mother of a four-year-old child. Cano posted a video explaining that she brought a baby backpack containing her child’s necessities to the Rio Carnival at the Davao City Coastal Road.
“I believe this is a chance for us to have a conversation about existing policies. Of course, we respect the culture of security of Davao,” she said in the video on April 2.
Cano's post sparked conversations, with other parents and people with disabilities voicing similar concerns. RGP