6 in 10 Pinoys hit by cybersecurity incidents

MANILA, Philippines — Six in 10 Filipinos using information and communications technology (ICT) devices experienced at least one cybersecurity incident in 2024, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Of the 38.86 million Filipinos aged 10 years and older who used an ICT device, 62.5 percent, or around 24.28 million, encountered a cybersecurity incident.

SMS (short message service) fraud or deceptive activities conducted through text messages was the most common cybersecurity threat, affecting 57.1 percent of victims.

Other cybersecurity incidents experienced by ICT users were hacking (7.8 percent), phishing (6.1 percent) and cyberbullying or cyber libel (1.1 percent).

By region, Mimaropa posted the highest cybersecurity incident rate at 73.6 percent, followed by the Bicol Region at 72 percent and Central Luzon at 67 percent. Zamboanga Peninsula recorded the lowest rate at 35.7 percent.

The PSA said those aged 25 to 34 were the most affected by cybersecurity incidents, with an incidence rate of 68 percent. They were followed by the 35 to 44 age group (65.7 percent) and those aged 55 to 64 (65.3 percent).

Global social media giant Meta Platforms has vowed to intensify efforts to prevent scam-related content from reaching users through artificial intelligence-powered detection systems.

At the Digital Bayanihan Safety Summit 2026 organized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Meta Philippines head of public policy Gio Tingson said the company has made online safety a top priority and is using AI to crack down on scam advertisements.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, removed 159 million scam advertisements worldwide in 2025. – Rainier Allan Ronda