On gov’t data breach, AI divide, and gendered digital surveillance: the FMA Digital Rights Round Up (September 1 to 30)
19 GOV’T WEBSITES HACKED, NO DATA BREACH – DICT
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Monday said 19 government websites were hacked and defaced, but there was “no evidence of a data breach” amid the protest actions against corruption on Sept. 21.
PCO EARMARKS P16-M TO COMBAT FAKE NEWS
“We do a significant amount of work in terms of combating fake news and misinformation, from the digital front to coordination with other government agencies for data on these fake news sites,” PCO Acting Secretary Dave Gomez said during the budget briefing for PCO’s proposed 2026 budget on Tuesday.
EXPERTS WARN AI COULD WIDEN DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THE PHILIPPINES
PIDS President Philip Arnold Tuaño highlighted AI’s transformative power, describing it as “an enabler of connections, a driver of knowledge creation, and a catalyst for adaptation in nearly every field.”. However, he cautioned that the technology could concentrate benefits in the hands of a few if the Philippines does not strengthen its infrastructure, governance, and skills development.
‘HOLIDAY’ FROM USING FACEBOOK POSSIBLE, DICT WARNS
Filipino users may soon experience a “holiday” from Facebook and other platforms as the government enforces a zero tolerance policy against online harm, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) warned.
PBBM INSTITUTIONALIZES SHIFT TO E-GOVERNANCE
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed a law institutionalizing the transition to e-governance to foster a digitally empowered and integrated government through a regulated, secure, and robust information and communications technology (ICT).
DICT WARNS ONLINE PLATFORMS: REMOVE ILLEGAL CONTENT OR BE BLOCKED
The Department of Information and Communications Technology has warned online platforms they will be blocked in the Philippines if they do not remove illegal content. These posts include fake news, online scams, fake products, illegal gambling, child pornography, and other similar content.
PTFOMS RENEWS COMMITMENT TO PROTECT MEDIA RIGHTS
The PTFoMS cited significant progress under the Marcos administration, including a strengthened press freedom index, the absence of media-related killings in the past year, and swift responses to reports of harassment against journalists.
KONEKTADONG PINOY ISSUES BEING IRONED OUT IN ONGOING DRAFTING OF IRR —DICT
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda, told reporters at the sidelines of Arangkada Philippines Investment Forum in Pasay City, that “the final comments [on the IRR] will be submitted by 1st of October… then from there, publication…”
Ahead of National Press Freedom Day in the Philippines on August 30, the Committee to Protect Journalists and partners have called on the country’s president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and his administration to immediately release journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio as her trial nears its conclusion.
TASK FORCE CITES NEW THREATS TO MEDIA WORKERS
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) on Saturday said that threats against journalists were evolving, and now include misinformation, online harassment, cyberbullying and pressure from powerful entities.
CICC WARNS SHUTDOWN OF ONLINE PLATFORMS OVER ILLEGAL SALES, CONTENT
Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) chief, Undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso, on Monday warned online shopping and social media platforms of their possible shutdown in the Philippines over the sale of illegal items and other “online harms.”
BIZ GROUP CITES KEYS TO BOLSTER PH’S DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
In a statement, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said amendments to the Public Service Act, SIM Card Registration Law, the Digital Transformation Roadmap, and the National Fiber Backbone are “steps in the right direction.” PCCI president Consul Enunina Mangio, however, said more should be done, such as prioritization of broadband access in rural and underserved areas.
REPORT CALLS FOR STRONGER DATA GOVERNANCE IN THE PHILIPPINES
The report highlighted several gaps in the country’s framework. The Constitution guarantees the right to information on public matters, but online access to government data remains limited. There is no coordination between the Open Data Portal and other online databases such as the Philippine Statistics Authority’s OpenStat.
THE PHILIPPINES: STRENGTHENING ETHICAL, DIGITAL JOURNALISM SKILLS
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) continues to build capacity in digital journalism, equipping both law enforcement press corps and members of the media with essential skills for today’s evolving online environment.
DICT SEEKS P18.9-BILLION BUDGET FOR 2026
From P12.4 billion in 2025, the department seeks P18.9 billion for the coming year, citing the need to enhance digital infrastructure and connectivity, with key projects like the National Broadband Project and the Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project.
DICT ENJOINS ‘ETHICAL HACKERS’ TO HELP PROTECT DIGITAL PH
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has called on the digital community of the Philippines to work with the government in helping protect the country’s digital landscape.
PLDT LAUNCHES PHILIPPINES’ FIRST GOOGLE TAARA LASER SITES FOR HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
PLDT Inc. is rolling out the country’s first three Google Taara laser communication sites, a new technology that delivers fiber-like connectivity without the need for undersea or underground cables.
DICT URGES LGUS: CRAFT ICT PLANS TO BOOST DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
To accelerate digital transformation and improve public service delivery, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) calls on local government units to develop Local ICT infrastructure plans to integrate access goals into their local Development Investment Programs.
DICT: 3 FOREIGN TELCOS KEEN ON JOINING PHILIPPINE DATA TRANSMISSION INDUSTRY
Three foreign telecommunications companies have expressed interest in joining the Philippines’ data transmission industry after the Konektadong Pinoy Bill lapsed into law last month, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda said Monday.
PH BUSINESSES LAG IN AI ADOPTION DESPITE DIGITAL ACCESS—PIDS
Despite near-universal access to computers and the internet, Philippine businesses remain slow in adopting artificial intelligence (AI). A new study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) found that only 14.9% of firms use AI tools, with adoption concentrated in large companies in urban centers, particularly in the ICT and BPO sectors.
DICT, CICC RESPOND TO SERIES OF CYBERATTACKS ON GOV’T WEBSITES AMID SEPT 21 RALLIES
Among the affected national agencies were: the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Thirteen local government websites were also compromised.
TIKTOK: 21M VIDEOS FROM PH REMOVED FOR VIOLATIONS
“April 2024 to May 2025, we took down 21 million videos here in the Philippines alone that violated all community guidelines. Of that 21 million, 99.7%, I believe, was proactively removed,” Peachy Paderna, TikTok Philippines public policy manager, said Thursday during a hearing of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.
TRAINING CYBERCRIME RESPONDERS ACROSS THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is submitting to Congress a position paper that recommends some amendments to the laws on cybercrime, including that of the SIM card registration, according to Brigadier General Bernard R. Yang, PNP’s anti-cybercrime group director.
PH, CAMBODIA BOLSTER COOPERATION VS SCAM FARMS, TRAFFICKING
Traffickers in the past three years have exploited Filipinos and other nationals in forced labor in online scam operation facilities which have expanded rapidly in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
CYBERSECURITY A CONCERN AS PH PREPS TO HOST ASEAN SUMMIT IN 2026: PALACE OFFICIAL
During a Senate hearing on the budget of the Office of the President, Undersecretary Leonardo Roy Cervantes told senators that the Philippines needs to show that it can host such an event “without any glitch.”
SOPHOS STUDY FINDS HIGH CYBERSECURITY BURNOUT AMONG PHILIPPINE ORGANIZATIONS
The fifth edition of Sophos’ report, “The Future of Cybersecurity in Asia Pacific and Japan,” produced in cooperation with Tech Research Asia (now part of Omdia), revealed that 88% of organizations in the Philippines reported burnout-related issues, slightly lower than 95% in 2024. The main drivers were a lack of resources, an overload of cyber alerts, and unclear strategies.
PHILIPPINES URGES UN TO ENSURE AI WILL BE USED FOR PEACE
The Philippines has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to assert its leadership in harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) as a powerful driver of peace and security amid efforts to misuse it.
WATCH: HOW PHILIPPINE MEDIA CAN FIGHT DISINFORMATION
Natalia Gumenyuk, Ukrainian journalist and co-founder of the Public Interest Journalism Lab, told The Manila Times that lessons from Russian propaganda are highly relevant for the Philippines.
CLIMATE CHANGE, DISINFORMATION NOT US AID PRIORITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES
Fritz confirmed that counter-disinformation programming is also not among Washington’s current aid priorities in the Philippines. “I don’t know that we’re doing much assistance funding in that particular space,” he said when asked about media resilience programs. “That is not really one of our key focus areas for foreign assistance here in the Philippines.”
THE PHILIPPINES: BOOSTING DIGITAL LITERACY AND WORKFORCE READINESS
The Philippine government is continuing its efforts to strengthen digital literacy and workforce readiness through programmes that equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a technology-driven society.
GLOBE GROWS DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAM
As Filipino children spend more time online, the risks they face, from sexual exploitation and scams to misinformation, continue to rise.Globe is addressing these challenges through its Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP), which equips students with the skills to navigate the digital world responsibly.
PALACE ON PROTESTS VS. CORRUPTION: MARCOS RESPECTS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. respects freedom of expression, as several groups took to the streets this week to protest the irregularities in the government’s flood control projects, Malacañang said Saturday.
One of the sessions held at the DRAPAC 2025 held in Kuala Lumpur in August was on gendered digital surveillance that was organized by Ellen Kusuma from Indonesia. It aimed to discuss and explore how gendered surveillance technologies impact marginalized communities in Southeast Asia, and identify actionable measures that can be taken when faced with surveillance.
Bahagi ang mga kwento ng “Pagmamapa sa Tuwa, Lugod, at Komunidad: Mga Naratibo ng Peminismo sa Internet ng Malaysia at Pilipinas”, isang proyekto na layuning pag-aralan ang pagkakaugnay-ugnay ng kapansanan, kasarian, at sekswalidad.
0 Comments