With customer protection and cybersecurity at the heart of its operations, PLDT’s wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has reiterated its support to the National Privacy Commission’s (NPC) thrust to protect Filipinos’ data.
“We are obsessed in implementing the best practices when it comes to data privacy. It has always been our advocacy to take the lead and do what is right by our customers, work with the NPC and mobilize the entire organization by setting the tone for our people to respect and protect privacy in the way we design our products and services,” said Leah Besa-Jimenez, Chief Data Privacy Officer at PLDT and Smart.
From customer service frontliners in the store to the experts in the Cyber Security Operations Group (CSOG) Command Center, Smart showcased its preparedness and capability to protect the privacy and security of its customers in various levels, particularly in light of the SIM registration process, to the NPC delegation that visited the telco’s headquarters in Makati City last week.
“These compliance checks are aligned with our mandate to ensure that the data privacy rights of mobile users are upheld and that telcos can demonstrate organizational commitment, program controls, and mechanisms intended to assure privacy and personal data protection of their data processing systems,” NPC Commissioner John Henry D. Naga said.
“Filipinos must be proactive in protecting their own data by knowing and exercising their rights as data subjects. Meanwhile, businesses have an obligation to ensure that customers’ personal data is secured. Embedding privacy by design allows them to protect their organizations, leverage data privacy to build customer’s trust and confidence, and to be flexible to the constantly changing data privacy risks,” he added.
Aside from data privacy, PLDT and Smart have intensified their anti-cybercrime efforts to curtail illegal activities committed over SMS and online platforms.
“Aside from building a cybersecurity mindset within the company, PLDT and Smart cyberwarriors are working 24/7 in blocking scams and fraudulent messages, as well as mobile accounts being used in criminal activities to protect our customers,” said Angel Redoble, FVP and Chief Information Security Officer at PLDT and Smart.
By end-2022, the PLDT Group had blocked more than 17 billion attempts to open malicious domains after its CSOG blacklisted 5.5 million domains being used in phishing, spam, and hoax activities. Smart also prevented 433 million smishing messages from reaching customers in the same time frame. These messages often come with links to phishing sites that harvest customers’ personal data. Smart has also blocked more than 400,000 mobile numbers involved in the illegal activities.
PLDT and Smart’s initiatives to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure and data privacy protection are grounded in the group’s customer focus commitment, to deliver meaningful connections and experiences for their customers to live a fuller life.
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