Malacañang has signaled openness to stricter firearms regulations in the wake of recent school violence incidents, but stopped short of endorsing a nationwide ban on cellphone use in schools.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla floated the possibility of revisiting the country's firearms laws following recent incidents involving violence in schools.

In a press briefing on Monday, June 29, Castro said the administration is willing to consider proposals to amend existing gun laws if these would improve public safety and provide greater protection to Filipinos.

"Depende po kung ano po iyong magiging proposal, kung ito naman po ay makakabuti talaga para sa lalong proteksiyon at seguridad ng ating mga kababayan (It depends on what the proposal will be if it would truly benefit the protection and security of our fellow Filipinos),” she said.

"Hindi naman po talaga kailangan sobra iyong ibinibigay na leeway para ikaw ay magkaroon ng armas lalung-lalo na kung hindi ka naman responsable (There should not be excessive leeway in allowing people to possess firearms, especially if they are not responsible owners),” she added.

Meanwhile, Castro said Malacañang has yet to take a position on proposals to impose a nationwide ban on cellphone use in schools.

The proposal came after Dumanjug, Cebu Mayor Efren Gica announced plans to prohibit students from bringing mobile phones to schools in the municipality.

Castro said she had sought the opinion of Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara on the matter but had yet to receive his recommendation.

The Palace Press Officer, however, noted that several private schools already prohibit cellphone use during class hours but allow students to use their phones only outside class hours or during emergencies.

"May mga schools na po, especially sa mga private schools, ay talaga pong banned ang cellphones during classes (Some schools, especially private schools, already ban cellphones during classes),” she said.

"So, ibinabalik naman ito or hindi kailangan mailabas ito during classes, but puwede naman nilang gamitin, especially kapag kailangan po sa mga emergency cases (The phones are returned or do not need to be taken out during classes, but students may use them when necessary, especially during emergencies),” she added.

Castro, however, questioned whether confiscating students' phones until the end of the school year, as reportedly proposed under the Dumanjug policy, would be reasonable.

"Hindi ko alam kung tama po ba iyong penalty na ibibigay kung makatwiran ba siya o reasonable (I do not know if the penalty being imposed is appropriate or reasonable),” she said.

She noted that school administrators would ultimately be responsible for implementing such policies.

The discussions on school policies came days after President Marcos ordered government agencies to strengthen measures to protect students following a string of violent incidents involving young Filipinos.

In a recent vlog, the President directed agencies involved in education, law enforcement, health, and local governance to intensify efforts to ensure the safety of students nationwide.

The President cited a shooting incident inside a school in Tacloban City, stabbing incidents in Cavite schools, and the deaths of two student-athletes during a team-building activity.

"Ang paaralan ay dapat maging lugar ng pagkatuto, pangarap, at pag-unlad. Hindi lugar kung saan nangangamba ang mga magulang para sa kaligtasan ng kanilang mga anak (Schools should be places of learning, dreams, and growth — not places where parents fear for the safety of their children),” he said.

The President also urged parents, teachers, schools, and communities to play a more active role in protecting children and supporting their well-being.