Several Students Held at School Gate Over Pants Issue in Puerto Princesa
Some students from Sta. Monica National High School in Puerto Princesa City were held at the school gate over pants issue.
Last Friday afternoon, February 20, 2026, several parents expressed concern after their children were reportedly not allowed to leave the school campus. The issue started when some students were stopped at the school gate because they were wearing baggy pants, which are not part of the proper school uniform.
According to reports that reached a local radio station, a number of students were blocked from going home due to their loose-fitting pants.
In the video, a teacher could be heard telling the students to remove their pants and leave them behind, as these would supposedly be burned together with old flags. The statement quickly drew strong reactions from parents and netizens.
“So lahat ng papalitan na pants ay ilalagay po natin dito, iiwan na po natin dito… magsusunog po tayo ng ating lumang flag, isasabay po natin ang mga pants nyo,” the teacher said.
Because of the incident, some parents had to rush to the school to bring replacement pants so their children could finally be allowed to leave. A few students were only able to go home around 7:00 to 7:30 in the evening, which added to the worries of their families.
Some parents admitted that their children may have failed to strictly follow the school’s dress code. However, they also shared that stopping the students at the gate and delaying their return home seemed too harsh.
They felt that while discipline is important, students should not have been made to stay late just because of their choice of pants.
As of this writing, the school administration has not released an official statement. It is expected that a press conference will be held soon together with the City Department of Education to clarify the matter and address the concerns raised by parents.
The social media users expressed their reactions to the post:
