President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to intensify efforts to eradicate online scams before the Christmas season to ensure the safety of digital financial transactions.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda shared the directive during a Malacañang press briefing on Tuesday, October 7.
“Ang direktiba po ng Presidente sa amin malapit nang mag-Pasko sabi niya, ‘Puwede ba pagdating ng Pasko mawala na iyong mga online financial scams,’” Aguda said.
He added that the administration’s goal is to give the public a sense of security when shopping or paying online during the holidays.
“Ang aspiration po natin ngayon ay kapag nag-transaction kayo online itong Pasko kung saan mataas ngayon ang paggamit ng credit card at saka online payment ay kampante po tayo,” he added.
As part of the initiative, the DICT is working closely with telecommunications companies and organizations such as the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and Globe Telecom to curb online scams effectively.
The department is also targeting the spread of fake news. A meeting was held last September 19 with telcos and social media platforms to discuss implementing content moderation tailored to the Philippine context.
Aguda further revealed that the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) will lead the campaign against fake news and deepfakes, which have been used to deceive people online.
The initiative will also involve inter-agency cooperation among the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).