Communications & Technology

The internet has become an essential part of daily life for Filipinos, shaping how people connect, learn, earn, and engage with society. But greater digital reliance also brings growing risks: misinformation, scams, identity theft, and fraud that put all users, especially the most vulnerable, in danger. On Independence Day, the meaning of freedom is being redefined for the connected era — it is no longer just about access, but about having the confidence to go online without fear of harm or exploitation.

The Philippine customer experience industry is placing a high-stakes wager on artificial intelligence and expecting it to pay off.

The Philippine IT-BPM industry used its biggest awards night to spotlight a changing growth strategy, with artificial intelligence, workforce upskilling, sustainability, and innovation emerging as key priorities for the sector’s next stage of expansion.

Following the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake, the country’s two largest telecommunications firms have ramped up efforts to restore services and deliver support across southern Mindanao. Globe Telecom Inc. reports that services are back in 31 out of 32 affected municipalities. Full restoration has been achieved in Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, South Cotabato, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani. Teams remain on standby in areas with intermittent signal, mostly where ongoing power outages continue to disrupt telecom facilities. The company has also activated special connectivity and emergency support offers in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani. Meanwhile, PLDT Group’s business unit PLDT Enterprise has teamed up with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and local governments to set up Starlink internet in key hospitals. These links are now working at Malungon Sarangani Provincial Hospital and Alabel Sarangani Provincial Hospital, part of the group’s commitment to using communications for disaster response. Through its social outreach arm PLDT-Smart Foundation, the group has started distributing relief goods including food packs, drinking water, and hot meals. Free calls, charging stations, and Wi-Fi are available in General Santos City; Glan, Sarangani; and Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental. Smart and TNT users in affected zones have also received emergency load to stay connected. Both companies are coordinating closely with the National Telecommunications Commission, disaster response agencies, local governments, and other partners. Staff are working around the clock to restore services and provide aid, while also ensuring the safety of their personnel and equipment.

As climate-related disclosures increasingly shape global trade, investment flows, and business competitiveness, the Philippines is moving to establish more reliable and consistent systems for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all industries.