Because online safety starts at home
Every day, millions of Filipinos go online to work, study, run businesses, connect with loved ones, consume content, and manage daily transactions. As digital life becomes more deeply woven into everyday living, online risks are also becoming harder to ignore.
From phishing scams and identity theft to misinformation and harmful online behavior, internet users today are navigating a digital environment that demands not only access, but awareness, vigilance, and responsibility.
Recognizing this growing reality, PLDT Home continues to go beyond delivering reliable and fast internet by championing responsible digital citizenship through Online Alerto, its online safety advocacy that empowers Filipinos to navigate the digital world more safely and responsibly.
Launched in October 2022 as a Facebook community initiative, Online Alerto was designed in response to the increasing need for digital safety awareness in the country. More than an online group, it is a growing digital community where Filipinos find educational content, actionable online safety tips, discussions about responsible internet use, and real-life conversations on navigating today’s increasingly complex digital world.
Today, the Online Alerto community has grown to more than 77,000 members, reflecting the growing relevance of conversations around online vigilance, misinformation, scams, digital well-being, and responsible internet use among Filipino families and communities.
The initiative reinforces PLDT Home’s belief that while connectivity enables opportunities, meaningful digital progress also requires awareness, accountability, and shared responsibility.
Today, conversations around internet access can no longer focus solely on speed, bandwidth, or coverage. As digital platforms become deeply embedded in everyday life, internet users must also learn how to protect themselves, think critically online, and engage responsibly in digital spaces.
A 2026 report by TransUnion showed that Filipinos remained more exposed to digital fraud than the global average, with the Philippines’ suspected digital fraud rate reaching 4.1% in 2025 versus the global rate of 3.8%. The study also found that 72% of surveyed Filipino consumers 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%. This heightened exposure highlights the urgent need for stronger public awareness and digital safety education initiatives that help Filipinos recognize, avoid, and report online threats.
Through Online Alerto, PLDT Home 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, who shared their experiences dealing with online pressure, social media toxicity, public scrutiny, and the importance of maintaining healthy digital boundaries.
To date, the initiative’s Facebook Live sessions have attracted more than 25,000 attendees, underscoring the growing public interest in conversations surrounding online safety, digital responsibility, and healthy online behavior.
By opening these conversations to the public, Online Alerto helps younger internet users better understand the impact of their online behavior and encourages more mindful and responsible engagement in digital spaces.
“As digital platforms increasingly shape how Filipinos live, learn, work, and transact, online safety must be embedded into the infrastructure that connects them,” said Menardo “Butch” Jimenez, Jr., PLDT Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer.
“Through Online Alerto, the PLDT Group continues to strengthen cybersecurity, advance responsible AI, and apply security‑by‑design across its networks. 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. For PLDT Home, true connectivity goes beyond access. It requires awareness, vigilance, and shared responsibility so Filipinos can engage online safely and with confidence,” 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. These operational safeguards provide the technology backbone for Online Alerto’s broader mission of helping Filipino families become safer and more responsible digital citizens.
Beyond online conversations, PLDT Home 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.
As the country continues to embrace a more digitally connected future, PLDT Home reinforces an important message: true digital progress is measured not only by how fast people can connect but also by how safely and responsibly they navigate the digital world.
To learn more about online safety and responsible digital citizenship, join the Online Alerto community on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/onlinealerto.ph.
The post Online Alerto supports parents in keeping homes safer online first appeared on Pampanga News Now.