CICC, GCash strengthen alliance for intensified campaign against cyber fraud

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Recognizing the continuous need to safeguard Filipinos from rising online fraud and scams, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), the lead agency under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) tasked with combating cybercrime, has forged a stronger alliance with leading finance app GCash to boost cyber protection for digital financial services.

(L-R) Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) director IV Alvin Navarro and undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso inks Memorandum of Agreement with Mynt, parent company of GCash represented by group head for new businesses Winsley Bangit, chief legal officer Atty. Maricor Alvarez-Adriano, and G-Xchange Inc., head of legal Atty. Gilbert Escoto

Through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), this partnership strengthens incident response and information sharing. It also supports the government’s capacity-building programs to further enhance cyber resilience.

The agreement was signed by CICC Usec. Renato “Aboy” A. Paraiso, who was joined by Dir. Alvin M. Navarro and Dir. Rojun V. Hosillos, together with other CICC officials. Representing GCash were Mynt’s (parent company of GCash) group head for new businesses, Winsley Royce Bangit, chief legal and compliance officer, Atty. Maricor Alvarez-Adriano, G-Xchange Inc., head of legal, Atty. Gilbert Escoto, with the support of GCash head of advocacy, Atty. Mark Anthony Amurao, Mynt’s chief information and security officer, Miguel Geronilla, and vice president and head of corporate communications and public affairs, Gilda Maquilan.

Emphasizing the importance of public-private collaboration, Undersecretary Paraiso noted, “Cybersecurity is not the responsibility of the government alone—it requires strong collaboration with industry leaders like GCash. Through this partnership, we are sending a clear message to cybercriminals that we are united in protecting Filipinos and will relentlessly pursue those who seek to exploit our digital economy. Together, we are building a safer and more resilient cyberspace where trust and innovation can thrive.”

The collaboration comes at a time when digital platforms are increasingly targeted by fraudsters. With stronger cooperation between the government and the private sector, both CICC and GCash are committed to reinforcing user protection and building greater trust in the country’s digital ecosystem.

For its part, GCash has been taking proactive measures, successfully blocking over 4 million fraudulent accounts and taking down thousands of malicious posts. These efforts will be further strengthened and complemented by CICC’s expertise, enabling GCash to better protect users who rely on digital services for their everyday transactions.

The partnership represents a vital step in the ongoing efforts of GCash to achieve its vision of financial inclusion while securing its users. “This partnership with CICC also serves as a compelling reminder that we must continue improving and innovating to protect our customers from ever-present cyber threats and other types of scams,” Atty. Alvarez-Adriano said.

With its continued focus on safety and innovation, GCash, together with the government, affirms its role in enabling every Filipino to safely participate in the digital economy with confidence and peace of mind.

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

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Lalamove Addresses Fraud Concerns with Driver Facial Recognition and Government Support

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Lalamove Philippines has taken decisive action to tackle fraudulent activities amid reports of driver accounts being sold or shared. To assure customers of safe and reliable deliveries, the leading on-demand delivery platform is reinforcing security protocols while working closely with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Facial Recognition Feature for Enhanced Security 

As part of its anti-fraud measures, Lalamove has introduced facial recognition verification feature within its Driver App to ensure that only authorized drivers can access the platform.

All partner drivers must verify their identity through a facial scan before accepting bookings, ensuring that only legitimate drivers handle deliveries. The feature reinforces driver accountability and works in tandem with other monitoring systems, including manual reviews and activity trend analysis.

Drivers with mismatched information are subject to routine monitoring and are added to a watchlist, which triggers further investigation to prevent potential misuse. Offenders identified through these measures will be permanently banned from the platform under Lalamove’s one-hit policy.

Zero Tolerance for Fraud 

With the new facial recognition feature in place, Lalamove’s stand is clear: selling or sharing driver accounts is strictly prohibited by the platform.

Lalamove Philippines Managing Director Djon Nacario emphasized, “Through our facial recognition feature, we can ensure that only authorized and verified partner drivers have access to the platform, ensuring a fair environment for all consumers. This initiative, with the support of DICT, reflects our zero-tolerance stance on fraudulent activities and our commitment to protecting both partner drivers and users.”

He also clarified that the feature complies with the Data Privacy Act of 2012, ensuring that the personal information of our partner drivers is handled securely while giving customers peace of mind.

Anti-Scam Tips for App Users

With the holiday season coming in, Lalamove encourages users to carefully and religiously double-check partner driver details—including name, photo, plate number, and vehicle information—before releasing items. If anything seems off, customers should report the issue immediately via Lalamove’s in-app Live Chat and reassign the order to another partner driver using the app’s "Find a New Driver" option.

“We deeply appreciate the trust and patience of our customers, especially the small businesses that rely on us daily,” Nacario added. “Our commitment remains strong and true – to providing a safe, reliable, and secure service to support livelihoods and keep deliveries running smoothly for the communities we serve.”

Teleperformance supports youth education for talent-building

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Teleperformance Philippines employees with senior high school students from PHINMA Southwestern University during ACCESS--their site tour as part of the TP Launchpad Program where TP opens its doors to graduating students to give them an idea of their work environment.

Teleperformance, the global leader in outsourced customer and citizen experience management and related digital services, recently announced the annual results of its sustainability initiative to support children’s education. Over 50 countries where Teleperformance Group operates were responsible for this effort, where more than 60,000 children in situations of vulnerability were supported as part of its proprietary corporate social responsibility program Citizen of the World.

“Teleperformance is always fortunate to give back to the communities through our CSR program, especially to support vulnerable children and their families,” said Clémentine Gauthier-Medina, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, Teleperformance Group. “We are ready to help and happy to contribute to building a future where they can thrive and reach their full potential, independently of challenging initial life conditions. Our company is grateful for partnering with committed and reputable NGOs, local governments, universities, and other stakeholders devoted to improving people’s lives worldwide.”

Francisco Lara, Teleperformance Philippines Chief Executive Officer, shares, “It is our mission at Teleperformance to provide development support and career opportunities to those with potential, regardless of their status, gender, or orientation. We will continue to uphold these worthy causes to enable underserved communities, improve people's lives, and provide access to opportunities that will one day reward them with life-long success in their chosen fields.”

In the Philippines, among these partnerships are with universities, student organizations, and government and industry institutions to help develop and hone around 10,000 young people on their flight to become future business services professionals.

Their most recent initiative is their partnership with Life Project for 4 Youth (LP4Y), a non-profit organization dedicated to the professional and social integration of young adults living in extreme poverty and exclusion. Teleperformance employees participate in volunteer opportunities to help youth participants at LP4Y centers, including mentorship programs and contact center skills training. Teleperformance also donated five million pesos in 2022 to sponsor 75 young people who will undergo the six-month LP4Y program of professional integration and character formation.

Teleperformance likewise donated to Project Angel Tree, a Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) program under its Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program. This project aims to aid victims of child labor, and Teleperformance provided shoes, clothes, bags, and office supplies.

To help Filipinos looking to upskill to increase their job market competitiveness, especially after the lockdowns, Teleperformance also launched the English Communication Webinar Series, which were live virtual sessions about various English and grammar topics. With English being a basic requirement for Teleperformance customer service agents, the sessions were taught by Teleperformance communication experts that benefited not just their employees but the general public.

In addition, Teleperformance partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and industry organizations such as the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) to focus on promoting talent development in the countryside by providing training opportunities for locals. In 2022, Teleperformance inked a partnership with the Negros Occidental Language Information Technology Center (NOLITC), wherein graduates of NOLITC and its associated institutions would be given priority in job application, screening and recruitment processing.

Moreover, Teleperformance formed the TP Launchpad, the company’s university relations program that helps build students’ capabilities and prepares them for future careers through mentorships and seminars, internships, mock interviews, and campus job fairs. The company also supported conferences that recognize and foster talent development and innovation among the youth. For instance, Teleperformance partnered with the Philippine Marketing Association to stage the StratMark Strategic Marketing Conference for Students and the Agora Youth Awards, which recognizes exemplary students in a marketing case competition.

Teleperformance employees continue to dedicate their time for education causes by participating in Brigada Eskwela, the Department of Education’s annual nationwide volunteer activity. Teleperformance volunteers visit public schools to do school maintenance and repairs in preparation for the opening of classes.

Teleperformance Citizen of the World aims to improve people’s lives worldwide by implementing various local social work initiatives. Learn more about Teleperformance’s philanthropic projects in different countries here.

DICT, Huawei mark ICT month with workshop on emerging technology

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In celebration of this year's National ICT Month, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), in partnership with Huawei Philippines, began a series of workshops on emerging technologies to empower Filipinos and boost the readiness of government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and the academe for the adoption of 5G technology in the country.

The "Emerging Technology Workshop – 5G ASEAN Landscape," held online on June 25, gathered a hundred participants from key government agencies, including the DICT, the National Economic and Development Authority, the National Telecommunications Commission, and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, as well as from LGUs and universities, such as the Bulacan State University.

Speakers were from Huawei Digital Transformation and Business Module Innovation and 5G Solution department. Both speakers and participants engaged in an interactive discussion on 5G-related technology standards and business models, 5G trends, and 5G applications in various industries in the Philippines.

In his speech during the online workshop, DICT Assistant Secretary Atty. Alvin Navarro highlighted how 5G has become a crucial technology for global socio-economic development. "5G-centric innovative ICT technologies are being applied to various industries and sectors to accelerate the development of the economy," he said.

Asec. Navarro added that as the Philippines is on the cusp of the digital economy, "we really have to upgrade what we know and the tools that we use." For this reason, he commended Huawei Philippines for conducting the 5G seminar workshop and offering the workshop series in collaboration with the DICT. The workshop covered "5G examples tied to government policies and initiatives as well as the 5G job roles and competencies that will support its deployment."

Huawei Philippines Vice President Daniel Guo expressed support for the DICT's goal of making the country an inclusive digital Philippines. Guo thanked the DICT and the ICT Literacy and Competency Development Bureau "for making the event possible and for mounting a very successful ICT Month."

"DICT's theme 'Onwards Through ICT: Building a Stronger Philippine Digital Economy' is very much in line with Huawei's advocacy of promoting industry development by strengthening the knowledge and expertise of partners and customers," Guo said, adding that the partnership between the DICT and Huawei will help the Philippine ICT sector to develop more sustainably.

The 5G ASEAN Landscape workshop is the first out of six seminar workshops that the DICT and Huawei will jointly host to equip participants with knowledge of new technologies needed to advance in the global digital economy.

For the upcoming events, the workshops will cover timely topics such as the digital economy and industry innovation, security insights, big data and artificial intelligence, and cloud-based services, among others.

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With integrated solutions across four key domains – telecom networks, IT, smart devices, and cloud services – we are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.

Huawei's end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organizations of all shapes and sizes.

At Huawei, innovation focuses on customer needs. We invest heavily in basic research, concentrating on technological breakthroughs that drive the world forward. We have more than 190,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.

For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/HuaweiTechPH

Converge ICT earmarks $250M investment to nationwide expansi

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Converge ICT, the country’s premier pure end to end fiber internet service provider, received a multi-million-dollar investment from Warburg Pincus, a private equity firm based in the United States.

Converge ICT has been aggressively expanding its fiber infrastructure with the aim of providing Filipinos access to the more reliable fiber internet connection. The $250 million or P12.8 billion investment will be earmarked on rolling out more fiber connections nationwide.

(L-R) Converge ICT COO Jesus C. Romero, Converge ICT President; CEO Dennis H. Anthony Uy, Maria Grace Y. Uy, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim, DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan, and Warburg Pincus LLC Managing Director Saurabh Agarwal

"Since going full throttle with our fiber network roll-out and package offerings, the change in overall Philippine performance has been noticeable," said Dennis Uy, founder and president, Converge ICT. "In 2018, the average connection has risen to 18Mbps. We don't take full credit but the company’s contributions have been undeniable."

This is the Warburg Pincus' first investment in the Philippines. One of the world's biggest equity firms has $20 billion invested in Asia and about $65 billion in assets under management.

"We are excited about the country’s young, digital-savvy population and its thriving services industries, which have created an outsized need for connectivity and will create explosive growth in the broadband space," said Saurabh Agarwal, managing director, Warburg Pincus. "Converge ICT is a remarkable business and growth story and I am confident that it will continue to achieve significant growth milestones and solve the ever-increasing connectivity needs of the country."

Converge ICT is looking at capturing 30% of the country's broadband market in the next few years. With this investment, Converge ICT will be able to fastrack the construction of its $1.8-billion nationwide internet backbone. The current rollout includes a $70-million domestic submarine cable with 20 landing stations across the Philippines. The Luzon backbone is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2020.

"Converge ICT is the only pure end-to-end fiber internet provider in the country with all-in house capabilities," said Uy. "We have been investing heavily on innovations that would move the broadband market forward so we can be on par with our neighbors. We have rolled out 400Gbps per channel in the past."

At present, Converge ICT is looking at doubling its half-a-million subscribers by next year. Seventy percent of the company's customer base are first-time fixed broadband service users and Uy plans to increase that with more expansions in the coming months.

"We are 100% committed to the long-term success of our partners Converge ICT and, more importantly, the success of the Filipino customers whom we serve, and their connectivity needs we seek to provide," said Agarwal.

The choice of Warburg Pincus to stream fresh funds to Converge ICT is due to the former's deep understanding of the business and expertise. Uy reiterated that it is not always about the money but making the Philippines more competitive in the world market by providing more reliable broadband service.

"To bring about real-life change and progress," Uy said. "That is our commitment to the Filipinos. To serve the under-served and unserved. Together, we will use technology to be what it has been set out to be. To make information more readily available, services faster, communities safer and life, in general, better. Convenience on-demand."

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Microsoft joins DICT in Empowering the Filipino Through Digital Transformation at National ICT Summit 2018 in Davao City

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“Empowering the Filipino through Digital Transformation”. That is the theme of this year’s National Information and CommunicationsTechnology (ICT) Summit held in Davao City. The summit is the culminating event of a month long celebration of ICT in the Philippines.

Since 2008, June of every year has been celebrated as ICT Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 1521, series of 2008. This is in recognition of the power of ICT as a strategic tool in governance, in delivering government services, and in driving economic growth.

The National ICT Summit was well attended, with over 500 government executives, ICT managers and practitioners, local government officials, academics, the private sector, students, and ICT industry players participating in the event.

Gracing the event was none other than President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who was guest of honor and speaker at the two-day summit.”

President Rodrigo R. Duterte with the delegates of the NICT Summit 2018. In the photo are keynote speakers from Microsoft Philippines, Joanna Rodriguez, Public Sector Director and Atty. Raul Cortez, Corporate, External and Legal Affairs Director. (Photo courtesy of CIOFF Foundation, Inc)

A faster and more efficient Government

In today’s digital world, it’s clear how huge ICT’s role is in the development of government services. Throughout the entire month of June, the DICT showcased projects that harnessed ICT to improve the efficiency of government processes that positively impact the Filipino public. From seminars, conferences, fora, focus group discussions, to technical trainings, there was no shortage of activities that presented and discussed emerging ICT technologies, products, services and new paradigms.

At the summit, the DICT showcased how ICT transforms the way government flagship and mission-critical projects such as the bold "Build, Build, Build" Program and the "Ambisyon Nation 2040" are efficiently implemented, monitored and managed.

To empower the Filipino, the government is looking to ICT to improve access to accurate information and develop more efficient services. This is through complementing government ICT plans, programs, policies, guidelines and standards affecting processes and the delivery of information and services to the people.

Digital transformation, cybersecurity, and AI

Also present at the National ICT summit was Microsoft, a digital transformation leader who presented global best ICT practices, emerging technology solutions, tools and paradigms that will allow the Philippines to leap-frog development stages.

In a keynote presentation, Microsoft Philippines discussed the economic impact of digital transformation, the hidden costs of cybersecurity, the future that is artificial intelligence, as well as the value of ICT in the development of the country. 

“ICT remains a core component in the transformation and development of the Philippines. As the world moves toward a more digital way of life, so must our country. Technology is the great equalizer, and the key towards reaching our full potential,” said Christian Lim, Country COO - Microsoft Philippines.

As the country embraces digital technologies, Microsoft urged attendees to be vigilant and reminded them of the value of cybersecurity -- in terms of economic loss and loss of trust. Similar to the Comelec breach in 2016, breaches can come from anywhere, so it is extremely important the government’s data is secure.

Moreover, AI is a technology that is becoming more pervasive and can be a big contributor to the Philippines’ digital transformation. In particular, Microsoft highlighted conversational AI, such as chatbots, and how it is already making waves around the world. In fact, AI is already being utilized to serve local communities in other Asian nations like China and Japan.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio testing the virtual reality features of the Hololens as showcased by Ellinov, a Microsoft partner. Microsoft Philippines leadership team was present as well to welcome the Mayor. (Photo courtesy of CIOFF Foundation, Inc)

“Microsoft is all about empowering people and organizations with technology. So it goes without saying that we are staunch supporters of the administration and the DICT’s mission to empower Filipinos through digital transformation,” said Lim. “Through the digital transformation of our government processes, we don’t just address operational inefficiencies, but create meaningful economic impact as well, leading to further development of the Philippines.” 

DICT and PCTO to hold the 1st Philippine Telecoms Summit

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DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima speaks to the media during the Philippine Telecoms Summit Press Briefing on February 22, 2017

“The consensus among all players is to work on concrete solutions. It will not be a blame game. This way, we will be able to move forward and fast track ICT,” shared Eric De Los Reyes, Chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), during the Press Briefing of the first ever Philippine Telecoms Summit. Held at Via Mare Restaurant, on February 22, 2017, the media briefing was attended by heads of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and PCTO, and representatives from Globe Telecom and Smart Communications.

PCTO, in partnership with DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), brings together the Telecommunications Industry’s stakeholders, comprising of government agencies and regulators, industry players, experts, and consumers in one event to address the problems and issues surrounding the state of Telecommunications in the country today.

The PH Telecoms Summit will address three main concerns: Cost, Coverage, and Speed of telecommunication services in the country, and how these can be fixed with the cooperation of all stakeholders. Representatives from the different interest groups will be given the opportunity to deliver their concerns and establish dialogue with all the participants. DICT Secretary Rodolfo A. Salalima promises that the Summit will be a no-holds-barred discussion; “I want the problems and challenges all out during the Summit, because if not, we will not know how to find a solution,” he added during the Briefing.

“The problem of one is the problem of all,” reiterated the Secretary, emphasizing the shared responsibilities among the government, the private, and the public sectors. With the goal of using Telecommunications as a tool for Nation Building, the two-day summit serves as a vehicle towards better internet and telecoms services.

Secretary Salalima concluded his statement with a message: “You have the power to use ICT as an enabler for education, enterprise, governance, and social empowerment.”

The Philippine Telecoms Summit 2017 will be held on March 9 and 10, 2017 at The PICC Forum, Pasay City, Manila. Follow DICT on Facebook, Twitter, and http://dict.gov.ph for updates.