A Davao City councilor urged the City Council to support measures allowing the City Library to operate 24 hours a day and grant incentives to internet cafés willing to open round-the-clock to provide safe and supervised learning spaces for students.
Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, chairman of the Committee on Finance, Ways and Means, and Appropriations, made the proposals during a privilege speech on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 9, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
He said that while existing ordinances on curfew aim to protect the youth from loitering and exposure to risks at night, the city must also address the lack of safe and conducive study areas for many students, especially those from working-class families who have no quiet space, gadgets, or reliable internet connection at home.
“It is in this light that I propose the opening of the Davao City Library on a 24-hour basis, a safe, supervised, and productive space where our students can study, research, and collaborate without fear of violating curfew,” Dayanghirang said.
The councilor said that 24-hour libraries and study hubs would improve students’ academic performance and reduce their exposure to unsafe environments at night.
Dayanghirang said the initiative would align Davao with progressive global practices, where libraries and study spaces are learning partners at any hour.
He called for an incentive program for internet cafés that wish to operate 24/7 for educational purposes. Dayanghirang suggested tax holidays, reduced business fees, or other regulatory reliefs to encourage private establishments to participate in the initiative.
“Imagine a Davao where 24-hour Internet cafés are not just gaming hubs but supervised learning centers, offering discounted rates for students who show school identification cards or providing safe spaces where online research and digital learning thrive,” Dayanghirang said.
Dayanghirang said the proposal would promote digital literacy, broaden access to knowledge, create economic activity by supporting local entrepreneurs, and provide more employment opportunities for café staff working night shifts.
He urged his colleagues to act on two key measures – authorizing the Davao City Library to operate 24/7 with proper security and supervision, and developing an incentive program for private internet cafés willing to open round-the-clock for students and researchers.
Dayanghirang said that the move is not just about protection but also about empowerment. “By allowing 24-hour access to safe learning spaces, we balance the need for discipline with the vision of progress.”
“In doing so, we open not just our libraries and Internet cafés. We open doors to the future of our city,” Dayanghirang said.