PNP requires gun vault photo for new, renewed firearm licenses

Sport gun enthusiasts undergo firearms training under the guidance of range officers at the ARMSCOR firing range in Marikina City on June 27, 2026

The STAR / Walter Bollozos

MANILA, Philippines — Private individuals applying for or renewing a license to own and possess firearms must now submit a photo showing their firearm storage facility as part of tighter gun safekeeping requirements taking effect Monday, October 5.

In an October 1 advisory, the Philippine National Police's Firearms and Explosives Office said applicants must declare that proper storage and safety measures are available for their firearms before their License to Own and Possess Firearms application can be approved.

The FEO has revised its application forms for both new and renewing license holders to reflect the requirement.

"Please be informed that effective October 5, 2026, the Firearms and Explosives Office Form No. 1 (Revision - September 2026) and Firearms and Explosives Office Form No. 2 (Revision - September 2026) application forms shall be used for all new and renewal LTOPF transactions," the advisory read.

Applicants must submit a photo of themselves with their firearm vault or storage container, which must be secured by a lock and key, along with the other documentary requirements.

The requirement to safely store firearms itself is not new. Existing firearms regulations already require holders of Type 1 to Type 5 licenses to keep their guns in a vault or container secured by lock and key or other appropriate security measures.

The new FEO policy, however, adds documentary proof of compliance to the application process.

Stricter safekeeping

The stricter requirement comes after a series of fatal school shootings this year linked to minors' use of firearms licensed to adults.

In the June 22 shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, one of the two minor suspects used a Glock pistol issued to his aunt, a police officer. The officer later told a Senate inquiry that the gun had been kept in a locked plastic locker rather than a safety vault.

In August, a student who carried out a shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University used two firearms belonging to his father, a Customs police officer. The Bureau of Customs confirmed that one was agency-issued while the other was his licensed personal firearm.

A third school shooting in Banga, South Cotabato, on September 18 involved a licensed firearm owned by the shooter's father, a Department of Education employee. Authorities said the firearm had been kept in a vault that the student was able to open or break into. 

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla had earlier proposed allowing police to inspect the homes of licensed gun owners to verify proper storage, arguing that firearm ownership in the Philippines is a privilege that carries responsibilities. He later clarified that the proposed inspections would require gun owners to consent through a waiver and receive prior notice.

The PNP has also said it would tighten firearms safekeeping rules for police personnel following the school shooting incidents.