From Good Vibes to Bad Vibes: Filipino Developers Alarmed as GitHub Pages, Vercel, and Netlify Face ISP Blocks
Press Konek | Deep Web Konek
A number of Filipino developers are raising alarms after discovering that GitHub Pages, Vercel, and Netlify—three widely used web hosting services—are no longer accessible through several Philippine internet service providers (ISPs), particularly Converge ICT.
The issue first came to light via a post on Reddit’s r/PinoyProgrammer community by user sergealagon, who shared a screenshot of the block notice encountered while trying to access GitHub Pages. The page, branded with logos of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), prominently displayed a message titled "Good Vibes Lang Muna 👍", stating that the website had been restricted due to alleged violations of Philippine laws.
The notice cited possible infractions such as malware distribution, phishing, online gambling, or content deemed harmful to national security or public order—without naming specific repositories or URLs that triggered the restriction. Users quickly realized that the block appeared to be blanket-level, affecting the entire GitHub Pages service and not just individual sites.
> "I thought it was just an issue with a specific repo, but even my personal portfolio on GitHub Pages won't load anymore," the Reddit user said.
In the hours following the post, developers also began reporting similar access issues with Vercel and Netlify, platforms commonly used for deploying static sites, frontend applications, and developer portfolios. Some users noted difficulty accessing Namecheap, a major global domain registrar and hosting provider, though it remains unclear whether this is part of the same wave of restrictions.
As of writing, there is no official public statement from DICT or NTC explaining the decision to block these platforms or confirming whether the move was permanent, accidental, or part of a broader operation targeting online abuse.
In a separate online discussion, a Facebook user shed light on a possible behind-the-scenes directive being implemented across ISPs. According to the user, local telecom companies may be enforcing a loosely defined internal policy informally dubbed the "Good Vibes Lang" directive, which appears to preemptively block platforms or services suspected of being used for illicit or harmful activity—even in the absence of formal complaints or takedown notices.
This approach seems to target entire platforms if any part of their user base is believed to be involved in illegal activities, such as phishing, scams, or online fraud. Unfortunately, this results in collateral damage: legitimate developers, students, educators, and even government-related projects hosted on these services can suddenly find their websites inaccessible without warning.
This sentiment is echoed by many in the local tech community, who argue that due process should be followed, and platforms should only be restricted based on verified abuse reports rather than blanket assumptions.
With no transparency from the involved government agencies or ISPs, Filipino developers and students are left in the dark. Many are now resorting to VPNs, proxy browsers, or changing their DNS settings (such as using Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 or Google’s 8.8.8.8) to regain access to their work, portfolios, or class projects hosted on the affected services.
Digital rights advocates are also warning that this could mark the beginning of more aggressive and opaque censorship practices in the Philippine internet space—potentially undermining both innovation and free expression if not kept in check.
For now, the developer community is calling for one thing: clarity and accountability. Whether accidental or intentional, the blocking of core developer infrastructure like GitHub Pages and Netlify deserves a public explanation—not just a smiling emoji and the vague promise of “good vibes.”
