TACLOBAN CITY — Northern Samar is moving to impose province-wide rules on students’ use of mobile phones and other electronic devices in schools, with provincial lawmakers citing concerns over classroom distractions, cyberbullying, cheating and exposure to inappropriate online content.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan held a public hearing on the proposed Provincial Learner Focus and Digital Wellness Ordinance of 2026, which seeks to regulate the use of cellular phones and other electronic devices by elementary and secondary students during instructional hours.
The joint hearing was conducted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committees on Education and on Laws, Justice, Human Rights and Public Accountability.
The proposed ordinance, authored by Board Member Don Abalon, chair of the Committee on Laws, Justice, Human Rights and Public Accountability, seeks to promote a more focused and safe learning environment by limiting students’ use of mobile devices during class hours.
It also aims to strengthen the implementation of existing Department of Education policies on classroom distractions, including DepEd Order No. 6, s. 2026, in public schools while extending similar regulations to private elementary and secondary schools across Northern Samar.
Under the proposal, students would generally be prohibited from using mobile phones during instructional hours, except in cases involving medical needs or emergencies, or when the devices are specifically required by teachers for learning activities.
Board Member Ara Gillamac-Layug, who presided over the hearing, said the measure seeks to address concerns linked to the unregulated use of mobile devices, including academic cheating, cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate online content and declining academic performance.
Representatives of public and private schools, parents, law enforcement agencies, youth organizations and other stakeholders attended the hearing.
School heads, administrators and teachers expressed support for the proposed measure, saying uniform guidelines could help protect the welfare of learners and educators.
Participants also recommended the inclusion of provisions for community monitoring to help ensure compliance, emphasizing that promoting responsible gadget use is a shared responsibility among schools, parents and the wider community.
Gillamac-Layug said the committee would consider the recommendations raised during the public consultation before the proposed ordinance is further deliberated.
The hearing was also attended by representatives of the DepEd Northern Samar Division, the General Parents-Teachers Association, Northern Samar Police Provincial Office, Provincial Legal Office, Provincial Youth Development Office and other government and nongovernment organizations.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
