PLDT cuts infra losses by half

MANILA, Philippines — Telco giant PLDT Inc. saw its infrastructure losses drop by half between 2022 and 2024, gaining from partnerships with authorities and communities in protecting its connectivity assets.

PLDT head of property facilities and asset resiliency management Leo Gonzales said the telco is reaping the fruits of its collaboration with law enforcement and local communities.

Gonzales said PLDT entered into at least 2,000 partnerships in 2024 alone, most of which were made with barangays to boost on-the-ground monitoring.

The tieups with authorities and communities are meant to combat asset losses, including cable theft, which is a major cause of service disruption. Telcos are facing problems dealing with cable cutting, as criminals take down copper lines to sell them as scrap in junk shops.

“Community engagement is at the heart of PLDT’s security strategy. With partners in barangays, military, police and local governments, PLDT harnesses force multipliers to protect critical telco assets in high-risk areas,” Gonzales said.

“By strengthening these local partnerships, conducting anti-fencing initiatives and equipping our community partners with the essential tools, the telco creates a security network that extends far beyond its personnel,” he added.

Moreover, PLDT boosted its security capabilities through the 164 Security Command Center, the telco’s agency for emergency response and intelligence dissemination.

The center also launched a real-time dashboard to monitor roving guard activities and incidents, improving response time.

PLDT head of security central command and administration center Willie Gonio said the telco is committed to intensifying the protection of connectivity assets. He underscored the significance of these efforts in sustaining the reliability of internet services.

In 2024, telcos formed an industry umbrella called Protecta Pilipinas, aimed at pursuing measures that protect technology assets. The group is developing an industry-wide monitoring system to identify the risks and vulnerabilities in the country’s telco ecosystem.

Based on estimates from Protecta Pilipinas, telcos endure billions of pesos in losses every year to natural and man-made calamities.

Similarly, Protecta Pilipinas lamented that telcos incur property losses consequent to what seems to be petty but costly crimes, particularly cable theft.