Senator Christopher “Bong” Go urged the government to prioritize robust cybersecurity measures following a latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey that revealed a sharp rise in victimization rates from both cybercrimes and common crimes.

The survey, conducted from 14 to 23 September and released on 9 November, shows that a record 7.2 percent of families reported falling victim to cybercrime, up from 3.7 percent in June.

This increase reflects a widespread surge across all regions, with the highest spike observed in Metro Manila, rising from 3 percent to a staggering 12.3 percent.

Go expressed alarm at these findings, particularly for vulnerable sectors and marginalized communities who may lack the resources to protect themselves from online threats.

“Huwag natin sayangin ang pinaghirapan ng nakaraang administrasyon na labanan ang iligal na droga, korapsyon, at kriminalidad. Upang makabangon ang ating mga kababayan mula sa pagsubok, importante na maproteksyunan ang kanilang buhay, kapakanan at kaligtasan,” said Go.

“This significant rise in cybercrime underscores an urgent need to enhance our cybersecurity defenses,” he added.

The survey also reported a rise in common crimes, such as pickpocketing, break-ins, and car theft, affecting 6.1 percent of families, up from 3.8 percent in June.

Senator Go then reminded authorities to sustain and build on the progress made during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte in combating illegal drugs and other forms of criminality, which he sees as interconnected issues that threaten public safety and well-being.

“Tulad din naman ng sinabi ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noon sa kapulisan: gampanan ang tungkuling proteksyunan ang buhay at kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino sa paraang naaayon sa batas,” he cited.

Earlier, Go also filed Senate Bill No. 4224, which seeks to provide free legal assistance to the country's uniformed personnel.

He is a co-author of RA 11967 or the Internet Transactions Act, which outlines the responsibilities of e-commerce platforms, online sellers, and online customers to protect the integrity of online transactions.

Similarly, he co-authored RA 11934 or the SIM Registration Law, which requires the registration of SIMs to serve as a deterrent to mobile phone-aided crimes such as text scams.