Cebu town imposes cellphone ban in schools; Palace raises concerns

Schools in Dumanjug, Cebu will prohibit students from bringing mobile phones to class in a bid to improve learning and concentration, Mayor Gungun Gica said on Monday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Gica clarified that the policy was not prompted by recent incidents of violence in schools.

“This policy has nothing to do with the incidents that happened last week — the shooting and the stabbing in other provinces of the Philippines. Rather, this is already a personal advocacy of mine,” Gica said.

Dumanjug is a fourth-class municipality in the southwestern part of Cebu, located about 70 kilometers from Cebu City, the province’s capital.

According to the 2020 census, it has a population of more than 57,000, with farming and fishing serving as its primary sources of livelihood.

Like many rural towns in the province, Dumanjug faces challenges in access to educational resources and digital infrastructure, which local officials say have affected student learning outcomes.

According to the mayor, he has observed a significant decline in students’ learning habits and values over his years in public office.

“I can see the difference between our students 10 years ago, in 2016, compared to now in 2026. We’ve made that comparison,” he said.

Gica said student performance worsened during the pandemic, when face-to-face classes were suspended.

He cited cases of Grade 6 students whose reading skills are only at a Grade 3 level.

Cellphone ban

Under the policy, confiscated phones will only be returned at the end of the school year. Gica clarified that violators would not automatically face expulsion.

He said the measure was discussed with school heads and barangay officials before it was adopted.

“So we all agreed. The majority — probably around 90 percent — agreed that cellphones should really be banned for students, though we did not ban them for teachers,” Gica said.

Gica downplayed concerns over emergencies, saying the town’s small size makes communication manageable even without students carrying phones.

“It won’t be a problem during emergencies. Our town is small, and everyone knows each other. I don’t think it will be an issue if the children don’t have cellphones,” he said.

He added that teachers, who will still be allowed to use their phones, can contact authorities or parents if emergencies arise.

Gica said he is “very confident” the policy will help improve students’ focus in class.

“I’m not saying it’s entirely because of cellphones, but I think our students will learn better if they spend less time on gadgets and read actual books instead,” he said.

While stressing that the ban was not a response to recent school violence, Gica said prolonged exposure to social media could influence students to imitate violent acts.

“Because of those incidents in other provinces, we found out that some were inspired by what they saw on social media,” he said.

Palace reaction

For its part, Malacañang said the policy’s objective appears well-intentioned, but it has yet to determine whether the penalty is appropriate.

“It’s a good objective if it will help children focus more on their studies. I just cannot say yet whether the penalty is appropriate or reasonable,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a briefing.

“From what we read, the phones will only be returned after the school year. I cannot say yet whether that penalty is justified or reasonable,” she added.

Castro said Malacañang has sought the opinion of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, but has yet to receive an update.—MCG, GMA News