Globe has recently accepted chairmanship of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) Philippine Chapter, with Gogolook and Meta serving as vice chairs. The appointment took place at The Globe Tower, where stakeholders from payments, banking, tech platforms, and civil society aligned on a shared agenda.

Participants walked through the chapter charter, committed to forming working groups, and identified an advisory group to provide strategic guidance on the chapter’s direction and initiatives. They also began mapping plans for a public launch.

GASA is supported by Secretary Henry Aguda of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), following a strategic meeting held on August 13 between GASA officials and representatives from the Philippine Chapter, DICT, Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG), the National Privacy Commission (NPC), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the GSM Association (GSMA), and members of the private sector. The meeting reinforced DICT’s support for the alliance’s multi-sectoral approach and its commitment to strengthening national coordination in the fight against scams.

“The threats we face in the digital world are growing more complex by the day. That’s why we at DICT fully support GASA’s collaborative model,” said DICT Secretary Henry Aguda. “Combating scams isn’t just a tech issue, it’s a trust issue. Through this alliance, we can move as one, strengthen safeguards, and give Filipinos the confidence to fully participate in the digital economy.”

GASA noted the scale of the challenge. Its research shows that online scams are now among the most reported crimes globally. In Southeast Asia, 63 percent of adults say they encountered a scam in the past year, while 22 percent lost money. In the Philippines, the share who lost money reaches about 31 percent.

As Chair, Globe is committed to ensuring the chapter focuses on practical, people-first initiatives,” said Derick Adil, GASA PH Co-Chair from Globe. Our vision is to empower and secure every Filipino against the changing landscape of digital fraud and scams. We’re focused on education, real-world guidance, and actionable intelligence and partnerships for consumers and enterprises, delivered in collaboration with public and private partners who can disrupt the scam ecosystem.

“Filipinos deserve a digital space they can trust. Chairing the GASA Philippine Chapter allows us to bring the right people to the table, share fraud intelligence, and act with urgency,” said Atty. Irish Salandanan-Almeida, Chief Privacy Officer and Vice President for the Policy Office of the Artificial Intelligence Group and the Information Security and Data Privacy Group. “Our goal is simple: Prevent fraud, stop scams, and make recovery easier for victims.”

In the first half of 2025, Globe has blocked more than 484 million scam and spam messages. (PR)

ORMOC CITY– A 12-year-old student was found lifeless in a river in Barangay Bangkerohan, Catarman, Northern Samar on Saturday evening, September 6, shocking local residents and fishermen.

Police identified the victim only as “John,” a resident of the same barangay.

According to police reports, a fisherman discovered the boy’s body floating in the river at around 7:30 p.m. The victim’s mother, identified as “Angel,” 29, later reported the incident to the Catarman Municipal Police Station at about 8:40 p.m.

Responding officers immediately went to the scene and confirmed the discovery. The child was rushed to the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Authorities said a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death and aid in the ongoing investigation.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMORMOC CITY – Police operatives arrested the No. 8 most wanted person in Eastern Visayas during a joint operation in Brgy. Quezon Jr., Ormoc City, at around 10:35 a.m. on Friday, September 5.

The suspect was identified as Rogaciano Pongos Jr., 18, single, a construction worker, and a resident of the same barangay.

He was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest dated August 22, 2025, issued by Judge Gerlie Borrel-Yu, presiding judge of RTC Branch 35, Ormoc City, for the crime of rape. No bail was recommended for his temporary release.

Police said Pongos was informed of the nature of his arrest and his constitutional rights in a language he understood. He was later brought to Ormoc City Police Station 6 for documentation and will be turned over to the custody of the issuing court.
(ROBERT DEJON)