Globe Telecom reported a 26-percent surge in network theft cases across the country in 2023, disrupting essential connectivity for communities.
The telecom unit of the Ayala Group said incidents of pilferage, including the theft of cable lines, batteries and electronics rose from 3,069 in 2022 to 3,887 in 2023, as criminals continued to target valuable network assets despite Globe’s sustained crackdown along with law enforcement authorities.
These incidents led to 1,153 service outages in affected communities.
“When our network facilities are compromised, it disrupts essential connectivity that people heavily rely on for day-to-day activities at work and in school, and for critical tasks such as emergency response,” said Joel Agustin, senior vice president and head of network planning and engineering at Globe.
“Every outage caused by pilferage impacts not just the business but, more so, our customers,” he said.
Globe said of the total, the Greater Manila Area logged the highest number of cases at 2,441, accounting for 62.8 percent of the total. Mindanao followed with 510 cases, Visayas with 472 cases, Northern Luzon with 379 cases and Southern Luzon with 85 cases.
Globe said it continues to strengthen its asset protection strategies and actively encourages local government units (LGUs) to undertake random inspections to bolster the security of telecommunications equipment.
The company also called on the public to exercise greater vigilance and alert the company and the authorities of suspicious activities linked to battery theft and other forms of pilferage.