The Palace has yet to receive a response from the Department of Education (DepEd) regarding a nationwide ban on phone use in classrooms, it said on Monday.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro noted, however, that a number of private schools have already been implementing the ban, pointing out that students did not need to use their mobile phones in school, except during emergency cases.

“Actually humingi po tayo ng opinyon kay Sec. Sonny Angara. Sa ngayon po ay hindi pa po ako nabibigyan ng update patungkol po diyan. Pero may mga schools na po, especially sa mga private schools, ay talaga pong ban ang cellphones during classes,” she said in a press briefing at the Malacañang.

Castro did say that the policy’s aim was beneficial to improving students’ focus on their studies, although she expressed uncertainty as to whether the penalty proposed was a reasonable one.

“Maganda naman po yung kanyang layunin para po magkaroon ng concentration ang mga bata sa kanilang pag-aaral. Hindi ko lang po masasabi kung ang penalty ay nararapat. Kung ito ba ay reasonable. Dahil ang makakapagpa-implement naman po nito ay ang mga eskwelahan,” she noted.

Earlier on the same day, Dumanjug, Cebu Mayor Gungun Gica said that schools in his jurisdiction will prohibit students from bringing phones to class. Under the policy, students who are caught using their phones will have the devices confiscated and returned only at the end of the school year.