Jinggoy: Protect seniors from text scams, 'budol-budol'

THE continuing proliferation of cybercrimes which spiked 100 percent at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, targeting mostly retired senior citizens, has prompted Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada to propose a legislation to protect them from fraudulent activities.

"Walang manloloko kung walang magpapaloko. At walang mabibiktima kung sila ay may alam sa mga istilo ng mga scammers," Estrada said as he pushed for the passage of Senate Bill No. 671, which seeks the establishment of an inter-agency centralized service to ward off scammers from carrying out their nefarious schemes through periodic information dissemination to senior citizens, their families and caregivers.

The lawmaker underscored the need to look after the vulnerable sectors against fraudsters as he noted that most elderly consumers are unfamiliar with today's technology, which is taken advantage of by organized crime syndicates who use social media and other online platforms in carrying out their scams.

Under SBN 671, or the proposed Senior Citizens' Fraud Education Act, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be the lead agency and would be supported by the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health (DOH), and the Philippine Postal Corporation.

The group will be required to formulate and disseminate through mail, telemarketing and the internet methods on how to report and file complaints related to fraud schemes targeting inform senior citizens and other vulnerable groups.

The DTI shall likewise be mandated to coordinate and establish partnerships with the National Commission of Senior Citizens and the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in conducting information dissemination campaigns.

The DTI shall also collaborate with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Insurance Commission (IC), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in ascertaining the various nature of scams and cybercrimes.

A website will be maintained to provide the needed information to help detect scams related to financial products and services, lending and investment instruments, insurance products, text scams and other fraudulent activities.

Jinggoy: Protektahan ang mga senior citizens kontra text scams, 'budol-budol'

BUNSOD ng patuloy na paglaganap ng mga cybercrimes na umabot sa nakakaalarmang 100 porsiyento na pagtaas noong kasagsagan ng COVID-19 pandemya at nambibiktima ng mga retiradong senior citizen, nais ngayon ni Senador Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada na ipursige ang pagkakaroon ng batas upang maprotektahan sila laban sa isinasagawang mga scam.

"Walang manloloko kung walang magpapaloko. At walang mabibiktima kung sila ay may alam sa mga istilo ng mga scammers," sabi ni Estrada sa kanyang patutulak ng Senate Bill No. 671 na naglalayong magkaroon ng isang inter-agency centralized service upang masawata ang mga scammers na maisakatuparan ang kanilang modus sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakalat sa tuwi-tuwina ng mga impormasyon sa mga naglipanang mga ilegal na gawain sa mga senior citizen at kanilang mga pamilya pati na ng kanilang caregivers.

Binigyang-diin ni Estrada ang halaga ng pagkakaroon ng batas para mapangalagaan ang mga sektor na kadalasang nabibiktima ng mga kawatan dahil sa kawalan ng sapat na kaalaman sa teknolohiya na sinasamantala ng mga sindikato gamit ang social media at mga online platforms.

Sa ilalim ng tinatawag na SBN 671 o Senior Citizens' Fraud Education Act, ang Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ang siyang magiging lead agency at susuportahan ito ng Departments of Justice (DOJ) at Health (DOH), at ng Philippine Postal Corporation.

Ang mga nasabing ahensiya ang siyang gagawa at magpapakalat ng impormasyon ukol sa mga iba't-ibang paraan ng pagsusumbong at pagrereklamo ng mga scam sa pamamagitan ng mail, telemarketing at internet.

Oobligahin din ang DTI na makipag-ugnayan at makipagtulungan sa National Commission of Senior Citizens at Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) sa pagsasagawa ng information dissemination campaigns, at sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Insurance Commission (IC), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP) sa pagbunyag ng iba't ibang uri ng mga scam at cybercrimes.

Magkakaroon rin ng isang website para makapagbigay ng mga kinakailangang impormasyon upang makatulong ang mamamayan sa pagtukoy ng mga scam na may kaugnayan sa mga financial products and services, mga instrumento sa pagpapautang at pamumuhunan, mga produkto ng insurance, text scams at iba pang mapanlinlang na aktibidad.

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Link to SB 671: http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/3856735023!.pdf