On Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson and TikTok user Harry Roque said that the government has no plans of banning the Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok in the country amidst security concerns.
Recently, US President Donald Trump threatened the app developers that he might put it out of business due to the collection of users’ private and personal data which allegedly can be accessed by the Chinese government.
The Philippines has no plan to ban the app even with the alleged security threat.
Roque, who also uses the app, said that there is no reason for the government to shut down TikTok.
“Wala pong dahilan na nakikita para i-ban ang TikTok dito sa Pilipinas,” the spox said.
[We cannot see any reason to ban TikTok here in the Philippines]
“Sa mga nagsasabi na nanunupil si Presidente ng malayang pananalita, wala pong kahit anong website na bina-ban ang Presidente,” he added.
[To those who are saying that the President is suppressing freedom of speech, no website has been banned by the President]
This statement has drawn various reactions from netizens including celebrities who recall Harry Roque’s viral TikTok video.
Sir, inaantay ko po bagong upload niyo https://t.co/amuGrl6e6p pic.twitter.com/KZRB9ahcVb
— Gretchen (@gretchenho) August 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/thatguySLATER/status/1290522431472275456
No to banning of TikTok in the Philippines.
Yes to banning Harry Roque from using TikTok.
— Dino Maragay (@dino_mars) August 4, 2020
Walang nakikitang dahilan si Presidente para i-ban ang TikTok sa Pilipinas. – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
That's news.
— ☕Theodore P. Jurado☕ (@theo78) August 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/Jedtedd/status/1290556508837572608?s=20
https://twitter.com/domzfafa/status/1290538927489654785?s=20
https://twitter.com/maaartsssss_/status/1290539561639120897?s=20
Banning TikTok will violate people's rights. Banning Harry Roque from TikTok would be a public service.
— nonoy espina (@EspinaNonoy) August 4, 2020
In March, Roque’s first TikTok video went viral online. In the video, the Presidential Spokesperson can be dancing to beat of “The Weekend” by SZA.
At present, TikTok has approximately 800 million active users worldwide. Since 2016, it had around 1.5 billion total downloads, making it the seventh most downloaded application of the decade.
