DAVAO City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang on Tuesday raised concerns over proposals to investigate or ban Facebook in the Philippines, warning that removing the social media platform could disrupt local businesses, disaster response, and family communications.
Speaking during the City Council’s regular session on Sept. 22, Dayanghirang urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology and national officials to assess the issue objectively rather than take drastic action.
"I am a little bit disturbed, Mr. President. It seems national officers, Congress, or either the executive or legislative, are interested in banning or investigating Facebook as one of the platforms in our country," Dayanghirang said during his privilege speech.
His remarks came amid increased regulatory scrutiny of social media platforms and government efforts to strengthen enforcement against illegal and harmful online content.
During the Pulong-Pulong sa Dabawenyos on the same day, Dayanghirang emphasized Facebook’s role in everyday commerce and public information.
"Ang Facebook is very important in terms of business. Mag-order ka'g Grab, pagkaon—dali ra. Presyo sa palitonon, makita sa Facebook. In terms of calamities, mga bagyo, advance information, makita nato sa Facebook (Facebook is very important for business. You can easily order Grab or food. You can check the prices of goods on Facebook. In times of calamities, such as typhoons, we can get advance information from Facebook)," he said.
Dayanghirang said shutting down the platform because of individual political grievances or localized issues would affect the broader public.
He also pointed to existing laws that allow authorities to address cybercrime and other illegal online activities without disabling an entire platform.
"Kung aduna may problema ang Facebook, kompleto man ta'g balaod diha. Walay rason nga i-ban ang Facebook
(If there is a problem with Facebook, we already have complete laws to address it. There is no reason to ban Facebook)," Dayanghirang said.
He cited Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and the Data Privacy Act as legal frameworks that government agencies can use to investigate and prosecute online offenses.
Dayanghirang said agencies such as the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Justice can enforce these laws without resorting to a nationwide ban.
"The removal of any opportunity, like a platform for communication, for economic, political, and social purposes, is a violation of rights of communication, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression,” he said.
Dayanghirang also said Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has mechanisms to remove content that violates its policies.
He urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to keep major communication platforms accessible, saying restrictions could make it harder for Filipinos to communicate, conduct business, and receive emergency information.
National cybercrime authorities, including the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and DICT, have said blocking or banning major social media platforms would be a “last resort.” Their stated approach has focused on requiring platforms to comply with Philippine regulations, speed up content removal, and meet other enforcement requirements. PR
