Digital Rights Round-up (May 1 to 31, 2026)
Digital Rights Round-up (May 1 to 31, 2026)
PNP PUSHES STRONGER LAWS VS TROLL FARMS, AI DEEPFAKES
The Philippine National Police supported proposed laws targeting AI-driven cyber threats such as deepfakes and troll farms, emphasizing that AI-powered disinformation and coordinated online harassment pose serious national security risks that require stronger enforcement and cybercrime monitoring.
ASEAN STEPS UP FIGHT VS CYBERCRIME, ONLINE SCAMS
ASEAN is expanding regional cooperation to combat cybercrime, online scams, misinformation, and disinformation, strengthening cybersecurity frameworks, cross-border information sharing, and coordinated policies to address digital threats and protect citizens across Southeast Asia.
SOCIAL MEDIA BAN MAY FORCE CHILDREN TO CIRCUMVENT RESTRICTIONS, GROUPS WARN
A consumer advocacy group warned that a proposed social media ban for minors could backfire by pushing children to bypass restrictions and use less regulated platforms, stressing that content moderation and platform accountability, along with safer online tools and digital literacy, would be more effective than a total prohibition.
MALACAÑANG REFUTES ‘IMPLIED MARTIAL LAW’ CLAIM, DEFENDS PRESS FREEDOM
The Presidential Communications Office rejected claims of “undeclared martial law” under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., defended press freedom and civil liberties, and refuted allegations that Davao City received no national funding.
DICT TO RAMP UP FREE WI-FI SITES
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is set to further expand its free Wi-Fi program by adding around 60,000 new sites across the country this year.
PTFOMS, NBI BEEF UP COOPERATION VS MEDIA ATTACKS, KILLINGS
A memorandum of agreement was signed by PTFoMS executive director Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr. and NBI Director Melvin Matibag to enhance media security and safety through closer cooperation in resolving cases involving harassed or slain media workers.
TECH ASSOCIATIONS CALL FOR UNITY WITHIN DICT
The National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP) and the Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team (PH-CERT) are calling on the leadership of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to resolve internal differences constructively and refocus efforts on sustaining critical digital initiatives and public service programs that directly benefit millions of Filipinos.
SOLGEN ASKS SC TO JUNK ‘FISHING EXPEDITION’ PETITION ON PBBM’S HEALTH
The Office of the Solicitor General urged the Supreme Court to dismiss a petition seeking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s medical records and drug test, arguing that presidential immunity and privacy laws protect the information.
DIGITAL TOOLS SHOULD BE USED RESPONSIBLY – CARDINAL ADVINCULA
Jose Advincula urged media professionals and church communicators to use digital tools ethically and responsibly by promoting truth, human dignity, empathy, and compassion while combating misinformation and online hostility.
PH LOST P141B TO ILLICIT TOBACCO TRADE FROM 2024-2025 – STUDY
A study found that the Philippines lost billions in tax revenue from illegal tobacco and vape products, many of which are widely sold through social media, messaging apps, and e-commerce platforms, highlighting major challenges in regulating online commerce and digital sales channels.
SSS ROLLS OUT NATIONWIDE PALENGKE CARAVAN
The Social Security System launched a nationwide mobile caravan bringing digital and online government services such as My.SSS registration, online transactions, password resets, and facial authentication verification directly to underserved communities across the Philippines.
DICT EQUIPS PASIG RIVER FERRY WITH FREE WIFI
The Pasig River Ferry Service partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to provide free Wi-Fi and improved internet access on ferry boats and stations across Pasig, aiming to keep commuters digitally connected while traveling.
DND, US DEPT. OF COMMERCE TACKLE CYBERSECURITY, OTHER MATTERS
The Philippines and the United States strengthened cooperation on cybersecurity by discussing ways to combat cybercrime, improve cyber defense systems, and enhance protection against digital threats through advanced technologies like AI and secure digital infrastructure.
PNP NABS 52 IN MAY 1-15 ANTI-CYBERCRIMES OPS
The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group reported multiple arrests, convictions, and cyber patrol operations targeting cybercrime offenders, highlighting intensified law enforcement efforts to combat online fraud, digital offenses, and other cybercriminal activities in the Philippines.
PNP TIGHTENS SECURITY AS SENATE OPENS IMPEACHMENT COURT PROCEEDINGS
The Philippine National Police strengthened cyber patrol operations through its Anti-Cybercrime Group, coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to monitor and act against online posts involving cyber threats, misinformation, and incitement of violence during politically sensitive events in the Philippines.
AI HACKATHON EYES TO PRODUCE HOME-GROWN AI-BASED STARTUPS
The hackathon organized by the Department of Science and Technology promotes the development of AI-powered startups and innovations, encouraging participants to build artificial intelligence solutions for sectors like agriculture, health, and environment while linking them to funding, incubation, and intellectual property support in the Philippines.
CWC: IMPROVED GLOBAL RANKING DUE TO ANTI-SEXUAL ABUSE LAW, HELPLINE
The Philippines improved its global ranking in child protection due to stronger laws against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), with government reforms strengthening cybercrime enforcement, reporting systems, and proposed updates to explicitly address emerging AI-generated child sexual abuse content and other digital threats.
LIPA CITY’S AI TRAFFIC SYSTEM AIMS TO CUT PEAK-HOUR TRAVEL BY 15-20%
The Department of Science and Technology is deploying an AI-powered traffic monitoring and analytics system in Lipa City to reduce congestion, using artificial intelligence to analyze CCTV and transport data for smarter, data-driven urban traffic management.
GLOBE FOCUSES ON NETWORK INVESTMENTS, AI THIS 2026
Globe Telecom said it will invest in artificial intelligence alongside network upgrades in 2026 to improve efficiency, optimize operations, and support data-driven cost management in its telecom services in the Philippines.
ENTERPRISE SEGMENT SEEN DRIVING CONVERGE’S GROWTH IN 202
Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. said its 2026 growth strategy will be driven by rising demand for digital and online enterprise services, with increased investment in infrastructure to support cloud computing and AI-driven technologies across business and government sectors in the Philippines.
HOUSE PROSECUTION PANEL PREPARES DISINFORMATION ON VP SARA TRIAL
The House prosecution panel said it is preparing not only for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte but also for a major battle against disinformation, warning that social media falsehoods, memes, and coordinated misleading narratives could distort public understanding, and emphasizing efforts to educate citizens so they can recognize and resist disinformation during the proceedings.
SAMAR YOUTH LEADERS COMPLETE PEACEBUILDING SUMMIT
The Youth Leadership Summit in Samar focused on strengthening youth awareness against misinformation, deceptive recruitment, and online radicalization, with government and military officials emphasizing social media responsibility and critical thinking to protect young people from being misled by false narratives linked to insurgent influence.
LAWMAKER SEEKS PROBE OF ‘DIGITAL BLACKMAIL’ OUTFITS
A House lawmaker is calling for an investigation into alleged “digital blackmail outfits” on social media that use coordinated online attacks, disinformation, and threats to extort money, warning that these practices blur the line between legitimate journalism and criminal coercion and undermine public trust in journalism.
LTO EYES CHARGES VS. CONTENT CREATOR IN VIRAL SPEEDING VIDEO
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is filing charges against a social media creator after a viral social media video showed him speeding dangerously on an expressway, with authorities suspending his license and stressing that using social media for reckless driving content endangers public safety.
PNP WARNS COPS VS. POLITICAL POSTS AMID ICC ISSUE ON DELA ROSA
The Philippine National Police reminded its personnel to stay politically neutral and avoid partisan posts on social media, stressing discipline and professionalism online while acknowledging that freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly to maintain public trust.
INTER-AGENCY BODY TO OVERSEE PHILHEALTH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FORMED
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. created an inter-agency body to oversee the digital transformation of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) serving as co-chair, to develop a secure, integrated, and fraud-resistant digital health system focused on improving efficiency, transparency, and public service delivery.
COMELEC EYES FULL BARMM POLL PROCLAMATION WITHIN 2 DAYS
The Commission on Elections said it aims to proclaim all winners of the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections within two days after the Sept. 14 vote, while also preparing ballots, deploying automated counting machines, and conducting testing to ensure a smooth and fast election process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
COMELEC READY TO COORDINATE WITH OMBUDSMAN ON MARCOLETA’S CASE
The Commission on Elections said it is ready to assist the Office of the Ombudsman in possible plunder and bribery cases against Senator Rodante Marcoleta over alleged campaign donations, while noting that its own earlier investigation into the matter had already been dismissed for lack of evidence.
GENDERSCOOP
THE GOAL IS SILENCE’: WOMEN JOURNALISTS REPORT INCREASING VIOLENCE ONLINE
UN Women National Goodwill Ambassador for the Philippines sheds light on the increase of digital abuse campaigns against female journalists and the dangers they face.
MEDIA TASK FORCE VOWS RAMPED UP GENDER-RESPONSIVE MEDIA PROTECTION
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS), led by Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr., vowed to prioritize gender-responsive media protection. PTFOMS aims to ensure that the human rights of Filipina journalists will be protected.
HOUSE OKAYS BILL EXPANDING VAWC LAW
The House of Representatives recently approved a bill aimed at expand the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act. Women’s rights activists claim the bill is a step in the right direction to protect against violence against women and children both offline and online.
WORKSHOP PROMOTES PROTECTION, WELL-BEING OF WOMEN JOURNALISTS
In Cebu City, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) held a national workshop in an attempt to strengthen gender-responsive media protection and empower Filipina journalists through mental health awareness and institutional support.
DETAINED JOURNALIST FRENCHIE MAE CUMPIO BAGS 2026 IWMF JUSTICE AWARD
Frenchie Mae Cumpio, an imprisoned Tacloban-based journalist, was the recipient of the 2026 Wallis Annenberg Justice for Women Journalists Award by the International Women’s Media Foundation. The award is reserved for female journalists who are unjustly detained.
PTFOMS, NUJP SLAM BACOLOD ANCHOR OVER RAPE JOKES AT FEMALE REPORTER
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) and various women’s rights advocates publicly denounced a Bacolod-based radio anchor for making repeated sexual assault jokes during a live broadcast and towards female reporters.
NEW AND GROWING CHALLENGES TO WOMEN’S FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION
Article detailing the role in which women play in building grassroots peace movements highlights the efforts made by Bangasamoro women in Mindinao in the peace process between the Philippines Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
THE NEW ‘DISKARTE’: FILIPINO MOMS TURN TO AI TO SCALE THEIR BUSINESSES
In attempts to equip women with the skills to understand and access AI, the PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH), in collaboration with Google, held the second Gemini Academy for mompreneurs in Manila.
In the Philippines, less than 25% of graduates in engineering and manufacturing fields are women, putting the country below the global average of women in the AI field.
HOW CONGRESS IS LOOKING TO REGULATE DEEPFAKES
An explainer piece highlighting what efforts have been made by the 20th Congress of the Philippines to regulate and criminalize the use of unconsensual deepfakes that are often used to inflict violence against women.
2 WOMEN NABBED IN QUEZON CITY CYBERSEX EXTORTION SCHEME
Two women were arrested in Cubao, Quezon City, after attempting to extort money from a man through explicit and unconsensual recorded material obtained during a massage service.
PH GLOBAL RANKING IMPROVED DUE TO ANTI-SEXUAL ABUSE LAW
Due to stricter enforcement of laws penalizing online sexual abuse against children and institutional support for victims, the Philippines ranked 15th in the 2026 Out of the Shadows Index, a metric measuring how capable nations are at preventing and responding to sexual violence against children.
CEBU WOMEN JOURNALISTS FIGHT STATE REPRESSION
A Cebu based alternative media group, Aninaw Productions is working to help support journalists from experiencing violence for exposing the realities of marginalized communities in the Philippines.
ELECTION LAWYER HONORS 447,000 WOMEN WHO FOUGHT FOR RIGHTS TO VOTE
Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal paid tribute to the more than 447,000 Filipino women who fought for the right to vote 1937 in a statement to mark the 89th commemoration of Women’s Suffrage Day.
WOMEN TOP CONTRACTUAL JOBS; MEN LEAD CASUAL, POLITICAL POSTS — DATA
A recent study has revelead that women account for more contractual employment positions in government while their male counterparts hold more casual work and politically linked positions.
PH LEADS ASEAN PUSH FOR GENDER-TRANSFORMATIVE DECLARATION FOR 2045
The Philippines is leading an ASEAN initiative through the Philippine Commission on Women to develop a long-term regional declaration aimed at reducing gender inequality by 2045, shifting from basic gender-responsive policies to “gender-transformative” reforms that address structural barriers in areas like education, economy, health, safety, climate resilience, and digital access across Southeast Asia.
SAFER INTERNET CAMPAIGN 2026: NATIONWIDE EFFORTS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND PROTECT COMMUNITIES ONLINE
The DSWD’s Safer Internet Campaign 2026, a nationwide effort to promote safe and responsible internet use in the Philippines by raising awareness of online risks like cyber abuse and child exploitation, and responsible internet use. It also brings together government agencies, schools, and communities to strengthen protection.
REPORTS TO POLICE OF ONLINE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN JOURNALISTS DOUBLE SINCE 2020
UN Women released a report highlighting the need for urgent action against increased forms of online violence faced by women in public life globally, with an emphasis on protecting female journalists and media professionals.
WHOSCALL COUNTRY HEAD SHARES WHY WOMEN MUST LEAD THE CYBERSECURITY FIGHT
Cybersecurity leader Mel Migrino highlights the rise of “emotion-engineered fraud” in the Philippines, where AI-driven scams exploit trust and Filipino values, making cyber threats more personal. She calls for greater participation of women in cybersecurity, emphasizing their role in building stronger digital defenses.
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