Once TikToking Roque says PH sees no reason to ban Chinese app

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is unlikely to follow the lead of other countries in banning Chinese video-sharing app TikTok over security issues.

In a Palace press briefing Tuesday, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Malacañang saw no reason to ban the app following US President Donald Trump’s threat to put the platform out of the US for collecting users’ personal data.

Roque also said that freedom of expression won’t be suppressed under the Duterte administration.

“Wala pong ganun. Sa mga nagsasabi na si Presidente nanunupil ng malayang pananalita, wala pong kahit isang website na pina-ban ang Presidente,” Roque said.

(For those claiming that President Duterte suppresses free speech, he does not ban any website.)

“Wala po akong nakikitang dahilan para i-ban ang TikTok dito sa Pilipinas,” he added.

(We see no reason to ban TikTok here in the Philippines.)

India this month banned dozens of Chinese apps, including TikTok, citing privacy concerns, amid tensions between the countries.

TikTok was among the popular social media platform in the Philippines today. Even Roque and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles uploaded videos of them joining the TikTok craze. [ac]