On 10 May 2023, the National Privacy Commission ("NPC") signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with leading telecommunication companies – Globe Telecom, Inc., Smart Communications, Inc., and Dito Telecommunity Corporation (collectively, "Telcos") to enhance privacy and data protection awareness and practices. The MOU aims to establish a framework for collaboration between NPC and the Telcos in addressing privacy issues and ensuring the protection of personal data.
A Joint Task Force has been established under the MOU comprising representatives from NPC and the Telcos to strengthen coordination, communication, and implementation of the parties' obligations regarding data privacy and protection. The Joint Task Force shall convene once every six months, or more frequently if necessary, to share information, identify priorities, and discuss relevant issues. The MOU emphasises the importance of educating the public on their privacy rights and providing them with mechanisms to exercise control over their personal data. In this light, a joint information and dissemination campaign will be launched by NPC and the Telcos across multiple platforms such as television, radio, and social media to educate and inform the public on fraudulent schemes such as targeted smishing messages and the proper way to report them (more details on "smishing" below). The expenses related to this campaign will be shouldered by the Telcos.
With the cooperation of the Telcos, NPC aims to strengthen its efforts to combat the rising number of fraudulent schemes conducted through text message scams that induce the public to disclose personal data such as "smishing", which is a short term for SMS phishing. It is a security attack involving text messaging in which the user is tricked into downloading a trojan horse, virus, or other malware onto the user’s mobile device. A smisher often targets the user's online password, social security number, credit card information, and other personal information.
