Discord users on Globe and DITO networks lost access to the platform on Wednesday evening, Sept. 23. Instead of the site, Globe users saw a notice saying access had been blocked under a directive from the National Telecommunications Commission. The block came after the CICC said Discord had not met its 24-hour deadline to establish a presence in the Philippines. It disrupted students, gamers, and freelancers who rely on the platform for work, while some users got around it by changing their DNS settings or using a VPN.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Thursday, Sept. 24, ordered the lifting of the block on Discord in the Philippines. The order came after a meeting with the platform’s management. “Yup, we’re ordering the lifting,” said CICC Executive Director and DICT Undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso.
Paraiso said the meeting resulted in Discord designating a point person in the Philippines and establishing a direct coordination channel with authorities, which the CICC calls a “green lane.” Discord also promised a faster process for handling investigation requests from government agencies. Paraiso also apologized to the public over the ban and said authorities were working to restore access.
As of Thursday afternoon, access to Discord remained restricted on Globe and DITO networks.
The block stemmed from a CICC directive sent to Discord and Reddit in letters dated Sept. 21. The directive ordered both platforms to immediately designate a resident agent or local representative and warned they could face restrictions or access blocks if they failed to comply within 24 hours. The platforms were also directed to explain their existing safety and age verification measures. The order followed the Sept. 18 shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato.
Reddit received an extension after its officials, including vice president of policy Jessica Ashooh, met with the agency, discussed “green lanes” for flagging harmful content, and committed to opening a Philippine office. Discord initially sent only a letter. The CICC then clarified that it had not extended Discord’s deadline, pending direct discussions and concrete commitments.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the ban took effect Wednesday evening. The National Telecommunications Commission said its order applied to users of Globe Telecom and DITO.
The block drew criticism. Former DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said about 15,000 Filipino freelancers had been affected. He cited Barangay VA Helpdesk, a Discord community with more than 12,000 members, and the Nexus and Jobcord servers for Filipino virtual assistants.
