DITO Telecommunity has officially rolled out “DITO Verified,” introducing the country’s first commercially available unified Silent Network Authentication (SNA) service by a local telecom provider.
In partnership with international tech firms Shush and Promotexter, DITO intends to phase out traditional one-time passwords (OTPs). The new SNA system confirms a user’s identity seamlessly through the mobile network tied directly to their SIM card.
“Verification now happens automatically and silently and securely through the DITO mobile network itself,” said DITO Chief Commercial Officer Adel Tamano.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has expressed support for the initiative.
Speaking at the launch, DICT Undersecretary David Almirol Jr. noted that the technology could ease the frequent technical delays users experience while waiting for traditional OTPs.
“I think this will help [with] a lot of issues,” Almirol remarked.
The network-based system operates instantly behind the scenes without requiring extra actions from subscribers.
DITO is currently urging major industries, particularly banking and financial institutions, to integrate the technology into their platforms.
“To the banks and fintechs in this room, we’re open for partnership. Let us build the authentication layer and the protection that your customers deserve,” Tamano stated.
Tamano pointed out that standard OTPs are becoming obsolete and are increasingly vulnerable to interception by cybercriminals. Moving to an OTP-free framework aims to deliver a smoother user experience that is better shielded from digital fraud.
“OTP is no longer feasible for 2026. Again, like I said, fraudsters, they are very very well organized, well funded,” he added.
DITO President and CEO Eric Alberto thanked the initial batch of participating companies, which includes several banks and airlines.
He emphasized that the telco is aggressively expanding its partner ecosystem, viewing the transition as an essential move for consumer security.