PNP-ACG, GCash call for safer cyberspace at AngelNet Summit 2024

Fueled by a shared goal to protect millions of Filipinos online, the country’s number one finance app, GCash, underscored its support for the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group by participating in this year’s AngelNet Summit, which aims to maintain a safer and more secure cyberspace for the most vulnerable sectors in the country, especially women and children. 

The digital partners of PNP ACG from Tiktok, PLDT Smart, Meta, GCash, and Coins PH with PNP ACG Chief of Staff Vina de Guzman and PNP ACG Director PM General Sidney Hernia

Held at the PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, this year’s summit, with the theme “AngelNetwork and the Cybersquad, Magkasama sa Online Kaligtasan” (AngelNetwork and the Cybersquad, Together for Online Safety), gathered leaders from the PNP who were joined by key officials from GCash, as well as various local and international organizations and agencies to tackle crucial steps and strategies in keeping the cyberspace free from harassment, abuse, and violence. 

The event is also part of a PNP mandate on child online protection (COP) and anti-gender-based online sexual harassment (GBOSH), the AlengPulis and the CyberSquad, an avatar group of PNP-ACG officers, co-designed with children, who works as a composite unit of investigators on crimes with an online dimension. 

GCash Chief Legal Officer, Atty. Maricor Alvarez-Adriano shared the importance of fostering partnerships between the private sector and the government to address the need for safer online spaces and more secure fintech platforms for Filipinos. 

PNP ACG Director PM General Sidney Hernia with Gcash’s Chief Legal Officer, Atty. Maricor Alvarez-Adriano

The event was graced by Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking assistant secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV as one of the key speakers, together with officials from the Council for the Welfare of Children, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Cyber Security Bureau, the Department of Education, the Children Protection Unit, the Philippine Commission on Women, and the Department of Justice. The event also welcomed 15 student delegates aged 13-15 from different schools and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) nationwide. 

DIDM Deputy Director PBGEN Rodolfo Castil, PNP ACG Director PMGen Sidney Hernia, DOJ Asec Mico Clavano IV, Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) USec Angelo Tapales, The Asia Foundation Sr. Program Officer Atty. Maria Roda Cisnero, PNP ACG Chief of Staff PCOL Vina de Guzman

“Trust and security are ingrained in the very fabric of our operations. We are deeply honored to be a part of this initiative with our key partners from the PNP. Together, we aim to provide a safer, worry-free online space and transaction for all,” said Atty. Alvarez-Adriano. 

For its part, GCash continues to intensify its #GSafeTayo campaign. Last year, it introduced DoubleSafe, a security feature that uses facial recognition, ultimately preventing account takeovers. By integrating AI and machine learning to cater to its customers, GCash also ensures a more scalable and sustainable platform for its users. Beyond its new security measures, GCash continues to have close collaborations with the PNP-ACG, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to combat cyber threats such as online scams.

In 2023, GCash and its partners have proactively barred 4.1 million fraudulent accounts from entering the platform. 

Aside from its active participation in industry associations like the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) to bring the cybersecurity agenda to more organizations, part of the e-wallet’s trust and security campaign includes a continuous strategic partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) to ensure compliance with all the latest rules on consumer and data protection. 

In line with its pursuit of “Finance for All”, GCash and its partners remain dedicated to strengthening its trust and security measures to address the challenges posed by cyber threats and for a safer digital future for all Filipinos. 

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.