The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, under the leadership of Romando Artes, recently made waves by announcing a ban on its own employees and private individuals—think vloggers, citizen journalists, or just about anyone with a smartphone—filming, photographing, or otherwise documenting its operations.

The move comes hot on the heels of a viral video incident involving one of its own officials, and the MMDA seems keen to slam the brakes on any further public exposure. But here’s the catch: Legally, this ban doesn’t quite hold up. Let’s unpack this, shall we?

Artes has been in charge of the MMDA since 2022, and doesn’t usually shy away from publicity himself. That’s if the many press releases we get from his office are anything to go by. In most of them, we are treated to carefully crafted images and videos depicting the chairman and MMDA leadership doing important things for the good of Metro Manila. He’s also not one to steer clear of bold ideas or outspoken comments, even if they don’t always hit the mark. But his latest directive might be pushing things too far.

According to a statement from the organization that was reported by GMA News, both employees and private individuals are now prohibited from “vlogging, recording, posting, and other forms of documentation” of the agency’s operations. The reasoning? It’s an offshoot of a recent incident where an MMDA official faced a complaint after a video of a clearing operation went viral. The agency wants to keep a tighter lid on what the public sees, limiting official footage to its Public Information Office’s carefully curated posts on platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Now, that sounds like an easy solution to prevent bad PR if you’re sitting in the MMDA boardroom, but it’s a different story when you step out into the real world—or, more specifically, the legal one. We anticipated this sort of thing happening, and so asked a lawyer in the past what the rules are when it comes to filming traffic enforcers and other government officials. Her opinion was quite clear, repeated below for your reference:

There is no law in the Philippines that prohibits the filming of law enforcers such as traffic enforcers and police officers while working in public. However, it is necessary that the law enforcer is carrying out his public functions in a public place where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy.

It does not violate the Philippine Anti-Wiretapping Law since the said law only covers the recording of private communications without the consent of all parties involved in the communication. There is no reasonable expectation of privacy in public places.

It does not also violate the Data Privacy Act. The Data Privacy Act does not apply to information about any individual who is an officer or employee of a government institution that relates to the position or functions of the individual.

So, taking this as basis, it very much looks like you can freely film and document the MMDA’s activities as much as you like. It is, of course, advisable to always be polite and to ensure you don’t interfere with the actual operations. Also, keep in mind that while public officials have no expectation of privacy when doing their jobs in public, private individuals do. This means that filming an enforcer on duty is okay, but filming the motorist who’s getting the ticket from him (for example) is not, and the individual should only be identifiable if he or she has given consent. That’s why you see a lot of blurred-out number plates and faces in the videos on our Facebook page.

So, when Chairman Artes and the MMDA say they’re banning private vlogging of their operations, they’re stepping into shaky territory. They can issue all the internal memos they want—telling their own employees not to film is well within their administrative control—but extending that to the public is a different beast entirely. Government agencies don’t get to dictate what private citizens can or can’t record in public spaces, no matter how inconvenient the resulting YouTube clips might be. The MMDA might argue that it’s about maintaining order or protecting its staff, but that doesn’t override constitutional rights. If anything, it’s a classic case of overreach dressed up as pragmatism.

To be fair, you can see where Artes is coming from. That viral video—where MMDA officer Gabriel Go berates a police officer during a clearing operation in Quezon City—didn’t exactly paint the agency in a flattering light. The fallout was messy: a cyber libel case from the cop, public apologies, and a whole lot of online chatter. It’s the kind of PR headache that makes any bureaucrat want to batten down the hatches. But here’s the thing: Transparency isn’t the enemy. If the MMDA’s operations are above board, a few smartphone lenses shouldn’t be a problem. And if they’re not, well, that’s exactly why people should keep filming.

There’s a broader point here, too. Vloggers and citizen journalists have become a fixture in how we understand what’s happening around us. They’re not always polished, and sure, some are just chasing clout, but they fill a gap that official channels often can’t (or won’t). The MMDA’s move to shut them out feels like a step backward, especially in a country where public accountability is already an uphill battle. Artes might think he’s protecting his agency, but he’s also sending a message that scrutiny isn’t welcome. That’s a tough sell in 2025, when every other person has a camera in his/her pocket and a platform to share it on.