Nat’l scam prevention center pushed

Senator Mark Villar is advocating for the creation of the Philippine Scam Prevention Center (PSPC), a dedicated government agency aimed at combating online fraud and providing assistance to scam victims.

The proposed center intends to be the Philippines’ first one-stop shop for all scam-related inquiries, complaints and concerns.

As cybercrimes and digital fraud become increasingly sophisticated, Villar emphasized the need for stronger, centralized protection mechanisms for Filipinos in the digital age.

“In this day and age when almost everything is digital, we are also seeing scammers continuously coming up with new ways to deceive people,” Villar said, warning of the evolving nature of online scams.

The proposed PSPC will operate under the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and work in close coordination with agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, National Telecommunications Commission, National Privacy Commission and various private sector stakeholders, including financial institutions, online marketplaces and fintech platforms.

The center will take a leading role in enforcement against digital scams, including violations under the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (RA 12010) and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175).

It also aims to establish regional and local offices to ensure swift response and support to scam victims nationwide.

“We were successful in the passage of the AFASA in the 19th Congress, and through this bill, we will continue to fight against scammers in order to protect Filipinos from further financial losses,” Villar said.

He underscored that building a secure digital economy is critical as the country embraces rapid technological change.

He expressed hope the PSPC bill would be enacted within the current Congress.

“By establishing an integrated center that will cater to every Filipino victimized by scammers and hackers, the PSPC bill will bolster our goal of building our digital economy while protecting our kababayan’s hard-earned money and savings,” he added.