THE Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) on Monday urged lawmakers to adopt age-based restrictions on students’ use of personal electronic devices in schools, citing studies linking excessive and unsupervised screen time to poorer learning outcomes, developmental delays and online safety risks among Filipino children.
“We would like to pose also to the body that distinctions must be made… in terms of two categories of electronic devices,” EDCOM II Executive Director Karol Mark Yee told a joint hearing of the House of Representatives Basic Education and Health Committees.
Mr. Yee said policymakers should distinguish between unrestricted personal devices and school-managed instructional technology that teachers could monitor and control.
He proposed prohibiting kindergarten to Grade 6 learners from bringing personal devices to school, except assistive technologies for students with special needs, while allowing Grades 7 to 12 students managed access only for instructional purposes.
He cited studies showing that children aged 2 to 3 who spend more than two hours daily on screens are more likely to experience language and developmental delays.
Filipino children are also 8.5 times more likely to engage in harmful excessive gadget use when left unsupervised, he said.
Mr. Yee added that Filipinos aged 16 and above spend about 54 hours online each week, the second-highest globally, suggesting widespread and largely unsupervised gadget use.
Although the Department of Education has prohibited students from using cellular phones and other portable electronic devices in schools through policies issued since 1999, Mr. Yee said enforcement has remained a challenge.
Education analysts said the proposed framework appropriately distinguishes between personal gadgets and instructional technology but cautioned that restrictions alone would not improve learning outcomes without consistent enforcement and parental involvement.
They said schools should receive clear implementation guidelines, while parents should reinforce responsible gadget use at home because students’ screen habits extend beyond the classroom.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) supported the proposed bills, saying they would help create a learning environment that minimizes distractions while promoting responsible and secure use of digital technology.
The agency said it is prepared to help the Department of Education and other agencies in developing digital literacy and online safety programs.
Pasig Rep. Roman T. Romulo, however, urged the DICT to submit more specific recommendations.
“What we need from DICT are not really motherhood statements,” Mr. Romulo said. He added that lawmakers need the agency’s technical expertise on measures that could better protect students from the harmful effects of gadgets and online platforms.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) supported regulating mobile phone use but opposed a blanket ban, saying digital devices have become essential learning tools in many public schools because of shortages of textbooks and printed instructional materials.
“TDC supports reasonable and evidence-based regulation, not a blanket ban,” National Chairman Benjo G. Basas said. “While gadgets can be a source of distraction, they have also become indispensable teaching and learning tools.” — Pexcel John Bacon
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