SHORT OF BAN: Your kid’s phone has safety settings, DepEd says

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 is urging parents and guardians to maximize parental control features on their children’s mobile phones and play a more active role in supervising their online activities, saying families and communities are essential partners in keeping learners safe.

Regional Director Dr. Cristito A. Eco, CESO III, stressed that children who are given smartphones are mostly minors, making parental guidance essential both online and offline.

“This is a suggestion. Parents should know that the gadget itself has features to make sure the child is safe while using it,” Eco said during a press conference on June 30.

Many smartphones now come with built-in parental control or family safety features, although available tools vary depending on the device, operating system, and software version.

These settings may allow parents to manage screen time, filter age-inappropriate content, restrict app downloads and purchases, and supervise a child’s device through linked family accounts.

Older or basic phones, however, may offer limited or no parental control options.

Eco encouraged parents to explore these settings and use them as part of their responsibility in guiding children.

“If parents are knowledgeable enough to check the settings and indicate that the user of the cellphone is a minor, then they can activate those settings. I think that will help a lot in controlling the use of the cellphone for other purposes,” he said.

Beyond device settings, Eco stressed that parents should remain involved in their children’s digital lives, including their use of social media and messaging applications.

“If children have social media or Messenger accounts, parents should have access. Parents also have a role in educating our children on how to use gadgets responsibly,” he said.

Eco made the remarks as schools nationwide continue to reflect on the fatal violence that occurred at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, where two minor students allegedly attacked fellow learners inside the campus, leaving three students dead and 20 others injured.

Tacloban City is in Eastern Visayas, outside DepEd Region 6’s jurisdiction, but the incident has prompted renewed discussions nationwide on school safety, children’s mental well-being, and the factors that contribute to youth violence.

While acknowledging the public concern, Eco said such incidents should not be viewed through a single lens.

He noted that several factors may contribute to violent behavior among young people, including exposure to violence, family challenges, emotional distress, harmful peer influences, social isolation, and negative online content.

Rather than responding only after violence occurs, Eco said families, schools, and communities should work together to recognize warning signs early, identify risks, and provide children with the support they need.

“We don’t want to be caught off guard, so we need to strengthen the prevention aspect,” he said.

He assured that DepEd continues to strengthen both school security and learner support systems but reiterated that creating safe learning environments requires the participation of families and communities.

“It takes a village to raise a child. We have to activate that village,” Eco stressed.

Meanwhile, on proposals to impose a total ban on mobile phones in schools, Eco said any such policy should first be discussed with parents, local government units (LGUs), and other stakeholders to ensure it remains consistent with existing DepEd regulations.

DepEd Order No. 006, series 2026, already regulates the use of portable electronic devices, prohibiting learners and school personnel from using them during instructional periods to minimize classroom distractions while allowing exceptions for instructional activities, approved online collaborative learning, and emergencies.