The programme's pilot rollout, held in Barangay Bangkal, Makati City, a city in the Philippines’ Metro Manila area, signals the beginning of what is described as a broader campaign to deepen security awareness at the barangay level. It was launched through PLDT’s Asset Protection & Security Risk Governance (APSRG) Group.
A barangay is a small territorialand administrative district in the Philippines, forming the most local level of government.
This initiative is described as part of PLDT’s broader response to persistent theft and vandalism targeting its network. In 2024 alone, it says, nearly 1,000 loss incidents were recorded – mostly involving copper cables, which made up 91% of the total cost of material losses.
But these attacks have also disrupted services, leading to customer complaints and lost business. In parts of Manila, PLDT says, theft occurred as often as every three days.
To further strengthen on-ground capability, PLDT has distributed tools such as flashlights, night sticks and raincoats to barangay watchmen to support their patrols. Barangay officials and residents have also participated in a dialogue with the PLDT team in attendance, where the team has explained the importance of securing telco equipment to maintaining continuous service in their area. Residents also used this forum to raise service-related inquiries and other subscriber concerns.
PLDT says its stepped-up asset protection initiatives support its mission to deliver reliable service and advance the Philippines' sustainable development by securing critical telecom infrastructure, thereby ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for homes, businesses, education and emergency response.
It adds that these efforts align with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, promoting resilient infrastructure and technological progress through strategic security measures and strong community partnerships.
This pilot in Bangkal is just the beginning, says the company, which plans to roll out this programme to other communities within Metro Manila and outside it, creating a nationwide grassroots network of local connectivity defenders.
As readers will be aware, this isn’t just a problem for the Philippines. In recent years we have reported on theft and vandalism in a number of other countries, notably South Africa and India.
