The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has thrown its full support behind the Scam Ready ASEAN Program, a regional initiative designed to boost protection against online fraud, as the Philippine leg of the program kicked off at the central bank’s head office today.
Led by the ASEAN Foundation, the capacity-building effort aims to reach 3 million people across Southeast Asia, teaching them practical ways to spot, avoid, and properly respond to online scams. It will train 2,000 Master Trainers who will then pass on these vital lessons to their communities and workplaces. A key part of the program is the Scam Ready game, an interactive tool that helps people practice identifying scams and making safer choices online.
BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. noted in a video message that as digital finance becomes easier to access, it must also become safer. He said the central bank is proud to play its part in building a more vigilant, resilient, and scam-proof ASEAN. Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat stressed that fighting scams takes more than just knowing about them—it takes action and teamwork. Protecting consumers is everyone’s job, and working together builds stronger safeguards for people’s savings and their trust in the financial system, she explained.
The Philippine launch was organized by the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP) in partnership with the ASEAN Foundation, Google.org, and the BSP. During the event, BMAP also rolled out its own national campaign with the message “Ang Mahal ma-Scam, i-scamcheck.ph Mo Muna,” encouraging everyone to double-check information before clicking links, replying to messages, sending money, or sharing personal details online.
Representatives from government bodies, banks, tech and telecom companies, law enforcement, and consumer groups all took part in the gathering, united in the goal to build greater trust and safety in digital spaces. The Scam Ready ASEAN Program was first launched in Kuala Lumpur last April 28, 2026, and the BSP says it will keep working with all partners to strengthen fraud prevention and shield Filipinos from cyber threats.
