The Cebu City government in the Philippines has recently upgraded its anti-gambling measures, with the city council officially passing a new resolution to completely ban access to online gambling sites and the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications on government-managed networks. This move aims to prevent the misuse of official networks for gambling activities, enhance network security, and ensure work efficiency.
The proposal was put forward by Councilor Nyza “Nice” Archival and was successfully passed during the 17th regular session of Cebu City. According to the resolution, the Management Information and Computer Services (MICS) Office will be responsible for implementing technical blocks, including blocking all identified gambling site domains and VPN applications. The ban will apply to the internal office systems of the city government and the Wi-Fi networks provided to the public.
Archival pointed out that VPNs are commonly used tools to bypass blocks and access gambling platforms, thus banning their use is one of the key lines of defense. She emphasized that technical blocks will go hand in hand with disciplinary measures, and the city government will strictly investigate any improper internet usage by public officials during work hours.
The resolution also highlights that engaging in gambling activities using public networks not only occupies resources but may also lead to serious consequences such as gambling addiction, economic difficulties, and decreased productivity. To protect public interests, Cebu City will draw on international experiences to strengthen the supervision of network use, ensuring the proper use of government systems and public service networks.
