Senate Bill proposes ban on mobile phones and gadgets during classes

Manila, Philippines — Senator Win Gatchalian has formally filed Senate Bill No. 2706, also known as the “Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act,” aiming to prohibit the use of mobile phones and other electronic gadgets during class hours in schools across the country.

Announced on June 10, the bill targets students from kindergarten to senior high school, banning device usage within school premises during class hours.

It extends to teachers and faculty members, who will also be prohibited from using their phones during designated teaching hours in classrooms.

In the bill’s explanatory note, Senator Gatchalian emphasized that while electronic gadgets are valuable learning tools, they can also cause significant distractions that negatively impact educational outcomes.

Citing the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 data, Gatchalian noted that 80% of 15-year-old learners reported being distracted by their own smartphone use, and another 80% were distracted by their peers using phones in class.

“It is the policy of the State to promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being of our youth and learners,” the bill states. “Towards this end, policies must be crafted to safeguard their well-being and enhance their potential and skills through eliminating distractions caused by mobile devices and other electronic gadgets and protecting them from the unwarranted effects of excessive online and gaming use.”

The bill does allow for specific exemptions, permitting gadget use during class hours for classroom presentations and activities, health and well-being-related cases, and emergencies.

Senator Gatchalian first hinted at this legislative move in April, highlighting the growing concern over the adverse effects of gadget use on student attention and learning in the classroom.

The proposed bill aims to create a more focused and conducive learning environment for Filipino students by mitigating the distractions posed by electronic devices.