Dumanjug, Cebu Mayor Efren Guntrano "Gungun" Gica announced a "complete, total ban" on cellphones and a "no inspection, no entry" policy in all schools in his southwest Cebu town, starting Monday, June 29, 2026. However, on the same day the ban was to take full effect, the mayor walked back the policy, calling it a "brief adjustment."
Mayor's Pivot Amid Public and DepEd Concerns
Following a meeting with school and police officials and heads of agencies managing public safety, disaster response, social welfare, and traffic, Mayor Gica said they agreed to give students and parents time to "adjust" to the enforcement of the Department of Education (DepEd) policy. The reversal came after significant opposition, particularly from parents who wanted instant phone access to their children for emergencies.
Parents objected to the mayor's policy of confiscation and detention of phones. They expressed a need to reach their children at any time, for emergencies or to check on their well-being. The mayor, being politically savvy, apparently listened to his public.
DepEd Orders and Local Intervention
The Department of Education has issued at least five orders on cellphone use in schools over 27 years: (1) Decs Order #70, s. 1999; (2) Decs Order #16, s. 2000; (3) Department Order #83, s. 2003; (4) Regional Memorandum #259, s. 2024; and (5) DepEd Order #06, series 2026. These orders focus on regulation rather than a total campus ban. Students and teachers are allowed to bring phones but must keep them turned off in bags or lockers during class hours. Teachers may take custody of phones that disrupt class, returning them at the end of the school day or to parents.
DepEd officials have asked Mayor Gica for the written executive order behind his ban. All along, he had been communicating through social media and in meetings with DepEd and agencies involved in the local government unit project. The department wants to review the procedure and conditions to see if the mayor's version of the ban is acceptable.
Tacloban Shooting as Catalyst
The mass shooting in Tacloban City on June 22, which killed three students and wounded 13, likely inspired Mayor Gica's push. He prepared from June 22 to June 28, aiming to wrest the cellphone initiative from DepEd, knowing the tragedy stoked fears of digital abuse among youth. The mayor explained that the ban was one of several strategies in his crusade to protect the youth, including rigorous checks on firearms and anti-violence tutorials.
Mayor's Proposed Steps vs. DepEd Policy
Mayor Gica initially proposed more severe steps than DepEd policy: confiscating all phones and returning them at the end of the school year, and giving parents who didn't comply the option to transfer their children to schools outside Dumanjug. In contrast, DepEd policy allows temporary custody only during the school day and requires return to parents or guardians.
The fifth and latest DepEd order, DO #83, s. 2026, encourages localized policies but provides for temporary custody of phones by teachers and administrators, with devices returned at the end of the school day or directly to parents.
Core Issue: Local vs. National Authority
An emerging core issue is the extent of intervention by a town mayor in school operations within the local government's jurisdiction. Mayor Gica initially imposed the terms of the ban as he individually deemed fit, without showing that the Municipal Council or Provincial Board had passed an ordinance supporting his moves. National bills on the issue remain pending in Congress.
The mayor may influence, but not dictate, DepEd's national policy. He can invoke the clause on community general welfare to support his governance thrusts, but his actions suggested he was initiating the ban and dictating procedure and conditions, rather than enforcing existing DepEd orders.
Lessons from Dumanjug
The Dumanjug experience may offer local chief executives in Cebu and across the country guidance on how local governments and national agencies can work together on potentially divisive issues. The mayor's pause highlights the need for collaboration and adherence to established policies while addressing community concerns.
