To all Sugbo-anons, lumads, dayuhans, and Cebuanos at heart:

As moderators, our primary goal has always been to maintain r/Cebu as a welcoming, vibrant, and neutral space for everyone—whether you are looking for local food recommendations, discussing Cebuano culture, asking about commuting routes, reminiscing Cebu's past, or sharing daily life experiences in the Queen City of the South and the province. However, in light of recent threats to digital freedom across the country, we refuse to stay silent.

We strongly condemn the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center's (CICC) ultimatums to Reddit and Discord, as well as the hasty, unauthorized blocking of these platforms by local telecommunications providers like Globe and DITO without a proper court order.

For over a decade, r/Cebu has served as a digital town square for our community. It is a space where human moderation—done entirely on a volunteer basis—ensures that authentic conversations thrive free from automated spam and coordinated disinformation. More importantly, it is one of the few places where ordinary Cebuanos can freely express themselves, critique public officials, discuss local policy, and demand accountability from local and national government agencies without fear of suppression through the monthly political and religious discussion thread.

Threatening to shut down entire online spaces under the guise of security or administrative compliance ignores the fundamental right to free expression guaranteed by our Constitution. It sets a dangerous precedent that pushes our nation closer toward heavy-handed digital censorship and state-controlled internet access.

Complex societal problems cannot be solved by simply hitting the "block" button on platforms that foster open dialogue. True solutions require meaningful engagement, transparent governance, and collaborative efforts with local communities, educators, and institutions—not blanket bans that punish millions of law-abiding citizens.

Staying Connected During a Ban

If a full ban goes into effect or ISP restrictions make it impossible to access Reddit and Discord normally, we encourage everyone to use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass these blocks safely.

• Free VPN Options:
  • Proton VPN: Offers an unlimited-data free tier with reliable security, ideal for basic browsing without bandwidth caps.
  • Cloudflare WARP (1.1.1.1): A lightweight tool that encrypts your DNS and routes traffic around local network blocks.
• Paid VPN Options:
  • Mullvad VPN: Known for high privacy standards, allowing account creation without personal details or long-term contracts.
  • NordVPN / ExpressVPN: Feature-rich options offering fast server speeds, stable connections, and strong encryption across multiple devices.

Discord Community Link: If you can still access Discord, join the community on the New Cebu Tambayan Discord Server to stay updated and keep in touch with fellow Cebuanos.

We have always aimed to keep this subreddit non-partisan, but non-partisan does not mean complicit. We stand with the broader Filipino online community in defending open communication and internet freedom.

We demand transparency and fairness from our authorities.

We deserve an open, accessible, and free digital space.

— The r/Cebu Moderators