Dumanjug Mayor Efren Guntrano “Gungun” Gica clarified that the municipality’s cellphone ban in public schools is primarily aimed at restoring positive values among students, not merely prohibiting gadgets. The policy took effect on June 24, 2026, following a fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that left three students dead and several others injured.
Reading over screentime
In a Facebook post on June 26, 2026, Gica said the measure seeks to restore students’ reading habits, encourage face-to-face interaction, and strengthen discipline and character. “Dili kini basta-basta nga pagbawal lang apan usa kini ka lakang nga nagtinguha nga mapabalik sa ka maayo sa atong kabatan-onan. Ang atong mga eskwelahan kinahanglan nga mamahimong lugar diin mapalambo ang kinaadman ug maayong pamatasan,” Gica said. (This is not simply a prohibition, but a step aimed at bringing back the good in our youth. Our schools should be places where knowledge and good values are developed.)
The municipality wants students to spend recess, lunch breaks, and free time reading books instead of using gadgets. “Atong tinguhaon nga mapulihan og storytime ang screentime,” Gica said. (We aim to replace screentime with storytime.) He said the initiative aims to make reading part of students’ daily lives and develop lifelong readers.
Restoring personal interaction
Gica also emphasized the policy’s goal of encouraging students to interact with one another instead of focusing on their phones. “Sakit tan-awon nga magkuyog ang mga bata apan walay tingogay kay pulos nagtutok sa cellphone. Igo na ug sakto na. Gusto nato nga mag-istoryahanay sila, magkataw-anay, ug magpaambitay og mga ideya sa personal,” Gica said. (It is painful to see children together but not talking with each other because they are all focused on their cellphones. Enough is enough. We want them to talk to each other, laugh together, and share ideas in person.)
He said Dumanjug hopes to produce students known not only for academic achievement but also for respect, honesty, and discipline. Under the policy, students are prohibited from bringing cellular phones onto school premises. During the transition period, confiscated phones are returned after class, while beginning June 29, confiscated devices will be retained under each school's disciplinary policy.
The municipality also ordered mandatory inspections at school entrances, restricted campus access for parents and guardians, stricter enforcement of community ordinances, and prohibited firearms, explosives, sharp objects, and other hazardous items from school grounds.
Mixed public reaction
SunStar Cebu’s earlier report on the policy drew mixed reactions online. Many netizens supported the measure as a way to reduce distractions and improve discipline, while others questioned how students and parents would communicate during emergencies. Some suggested allowing only keypad phones, while others proposed requiring teachers to collect students’ phones before classes and return them after dismissal.
Addressing these concerns, Gica said emergency communication remains available. He said teachers may still carry cellular phones for official communication, while the municipality’s emergency response network, including the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and barangay officials, remains ready to respond to emergencies. In a comment on SunStar Cebu’s Facebook post, Gica also responded to critics of the policy: “If you're not from Dumanjug don't worry about our policies. If taga Dumanjug mo unya dili mo ganahan sa policy sa munisipyo, balhin mo lain school outside Dumanjug. Salamat.” (If you are from Dumanjug and you don’t like the municipal policy, transfer to another school outside Dumanjug. Thank you.)
Eyeing the long-term
Gica said values formation remains the municipality’s long-term objective. “I know this transformation will not happen overnight, but I am fiercely determined that this is the path we must carve for our youth. I am pursuing this mission with absolute passion and serious commitment,” Gica said.
Online comments reflected divided opinion over the policy. One commenter wrote, “This is a really good approach. I hope Barili will do the same.” Others suggested stronger coordination between parents and schools by allowing emergency calls through teachers and providing parents with teachers’ contact information and class schedules. Several commenters proposed banning only smartphones while allowing basic keypad phones for calls and text messages. Others favored requiring teachers to collect students’ phones during class and return them after school instead of imposing a total ban, saying this would preserve communication during emergencies. Some commenters opposed the measure, arguing that students should still have access to phones in case urgent situations arise. The varied responses reflect continuing debate over balancing discipline in schools with the need for practical communication during emergencies.
