Palace on Dumanjug schools' phone ban: Can't say if reasonable

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday pushed back on the “total ban” on cellphones in Dumanjug, Cebu, noting that while the intention is well-meaning, the penalty appears unreasonable.

The rule, effective June 29, states that if students bring their phones to school, the devices will be confiscated and returned only at the end of the school year.

READ: ‘Unacceptable:’ Marcos ‘heartbroken’ by Tacloban school shooting

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“His intention is good so that children can concentrate better on their studies,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in Filipino at a briefing when asked for a reaction to the matter.

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“I just can’t say if the penalty is appropriate or reasonable because the ones who can implement it are the schools and their administrators. I don’t know if the penalty that will be given is right, helpful, or reasonable,” she added.

Mayor Gungun Gica announced the new policy in a social media post, where he said that those who do not wish to comply with the rule have the option to “transfer” their children to another municipality.

“We want our kids to read, study, and interact with their classmates,” Gica said.

“At home, we expect parents to talk to their children, follow up on what they learned in school, and encourage healthy relationships between siblings and parents,” he added.

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READ: Batangas City school suspends classes over alleged shooting threat

The policy comes after a series of violent incidents in schools involving students. Two minors opened fire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, killing three students and injuring several others.

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A Grade 9 student was also injured after being stabbed by a Grade 10 student outside a high school in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. /mcm

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