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The Philippines' School Cellphone Ban: What Schools Need to Know in 2026
Yes, during class. DepEd Order No. 006, series of 2026, issued in April 2026, bans learners and school personnel from using cellphones and gadgets during instructional hours in public schools. Phones may still be brought to campus.
DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026 prohibits learners and school personnel from using cellphones, portable consoles and gadgets during instructional hours. This includes social media, online games, content creation and vlogging. Use is allowed for academic purposes, approved collaborative activities and emergencies such as disasters or medical crises. Phones are not banned from campus outside class time.
DepEd issued the order in April 2026 under Secretary Sonny Angara. On 30 June 2026 it sent a memorandum ordering strict enforcement for the new school year, after school safety incidents prompted calls for tougher rules. A Senate bill, the Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act (Senate Bill No. 2706), has also been filed; it had not become law at the time of writing.
Regional offices have clarified that only class-time use is banned. DepEd Region 6 said a total campus ban cannot be imposed by a school alone and needs the backing of local government, parents, school governing councils and other stakeholders. The order does not set a national storage method, so schools decide how phones are kept during lessons.
Whatever the rule in the Philippines requires, lockable pouches let students keep their own phone, locked, from the first bell to the last, so public schools do not collect, store or answer for devices. Before The Internet ships lockable phone pouches and unlocking bases worldwide, including to the Philippines, and can print the school's name or crest on them. Schools buy them outright: one price, no subscription, lease or per-student annual licence. Send us your student numbers and any written quote you already have, and we will beat it.
Frequently asked questions
Are cellphones banned from campus entirely?
No. DepEd says phones are allowed on campus but cannot be used during class, except for approved learning or emergencies.
Does the ban apply to teachers?
Yes. DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026 covers both learners and school personnel during instructional hours.
Can a school ban phones all day?
DepEd Region 6 said a full campus ban needs the support of local government, parents, school governing councils and other stakeholders first.
Related reading
School phone bans by country · Phone-free schools toolkit · How to roll out phone pouches in a school
Written by the team at Before The Internet, a Toronto-based phone-free company that rents lockable phone pouches for events across North America and sells them to schools and venues worldwide, shipping purchases to any country.
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