PLDT Home takes online safety beyond the feed through Online Alerto

As digital fraud rises, the telco is scaling up Online Alerto to keep Filipinos safer online.

Courtesy: PLDT

From scrolling to staying safe

PLDT Home is boosting efforts to go beyond providing internet service through Online Alerto.

According to the telco, Online Alerto is its "online safety advocacy that empowers Filipinos to navigate the digital world more safely and responsibly."

A 2026 report by TransUnion found that the Philippines’ suspected digital fraud rate reached 4.1 percent in 2025 versus the global rate of 3.8 percent. There were also 72 percent of Filipino consumers who said they were targeted by digital fraud attempts through online platforms, email, phone calls, or text messages between August and December 2025, significantly higher than the global average of 53 percent.

Online Alerto was launched in October 2022 as a Facebook community initiative in response to the increasing need for digital safety awareness in the country.

The Online Alerto community now has more than 77,000 members. Through the program, PLDT Home siad it regularly creates educational and community-driven content that makes online safety more accessible and relatable to everyday Filipinos.

Beyond sharing practical tips on spotting scams, identifying misinformation, and practicing responsible social media behavior, the platform also opens meaningful conversations around the real-life online experiences of public figures, creators, and young Filipinos.

Among its key initiatives are Facebook Live sessions featuring personalities who openly discuss the realities of navigating digital spaces responsibly. Featured guests included PLDT High Speed Hitters athletes Mika Reyes, Jessey De Leon, and Kiana Dy.

To date, the initiative’s Facebook Live sessions have attracted more than 25,000 attendees.

Through Online Alerto, the PLDT Group continues to strengthen cybersecurity, advance responsible AI, and apply security‑by‑design across its networks, said Menardo "Butch" Jimenez, Jr., PLDT Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer.

We use a specialized child protection platform that automatically detects and blocks URLs linked to Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), preventing billions of illicit access attempts. Beyond technology, we continue to work with various child rights organizations to promote child rights and online protection, added Jimenez.

PLDT Group's cybersecurity efforts show the scale of protection needed in today’s digital environment. From January to March 2026 alone, the group blocked 49 billion access attempts to malicious domains, prevented 1.4 billion cyber attacks and data breaches, and blocked 208,000 access attempts to OSAEC-related URLs and content.

PLDT Home said it is also bringing digital safety education directly to students through Online AlerTour, an on-ground campus initiative conducted in partnership with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group.

The program addresses pressing online concerns, including phishing scams, misinformation, identity theft, online fraud, and responsible social media behavior, equipping young Filipinos with the knowledge needed to become more vigilant and responsible digital citizens.

To date, Online AlerTour has engaged more than 500 students across campuses, including Far Eastern University, Universidad de Manila, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, with more upcoming campus activations in the pipeline.

If you want to know more about this initiative, join the Online Alerto community on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/on    linealerto.ph.

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