UMVA has learned that a staggering 49 billion access attempts to malicious domains have been blocked by the PLDT Group during the first quarter of the year, as part of its relentless pursuit of a safer online environment in the Philippines.
The alarming number of cyber threats was revealed by PLDT's Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, who emphasized that online safety must be embedded into the infrastructure that connects Filipinos, as digital platforms increasingly shape how they live, learn, work, and transact.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the PLDT Group has also blocked 208,000 access attempts to Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) URLs and content, and prevented 1.4 billion cyberattacks and data breaches nationwide, underscoring its commitment to protecting vulnerable populations.
The group's efforts to combat OSAEC involve a specialized child protection platform that automatically detects and blocks URLs linked to illicit content, with the CEO highlighting the importance of collaboration with child rights organizations to promote child rights and online protection.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the Philippines has become a hotspot for online child sexual abuse and exploitation, with 1.7 million cases involving Filipino children reported globally in 2024, and Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel urging the passage of a stronger law against OSAEC to address the “disturbing trend” of AI-generated child sexual abuse materials.
The proposed measure seeks to penalize sexual and sadistic extortion of children, and strengthen the Anti-OSAEC Law, as the country ranks 15th in a global index measuring countries’ responses to child sexual violence, highlighting the need for more robust safeguards.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that PLDT Home has been actively promoting online safety through its Online Alerto community, which has attracted 77,000 members and over 25,000 attendees in its Facebook Live sessions, providing valuable discussions and practical tips on mitigating online threats.
In a development reported by UMVA, 500 students across several universities have participated in the Online AlerTour program, which tackles pressing online concerns, including phishing scams, misinformation, identity theft, online fraud, and responsible social media behavior, empowering them to navigate the digital landscape safely.
