According to a UNICEF study, the Philippines is one of the ASEAN countries that is most vulnerable in terms of having accessible technology and well-established financial transaction systems.
This revelation took place at the recent Advanced Investigation Workshop 2024, organized by the International Justice Mission (IJM) to address the pressing concerns surrounding Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC).
During this significant workshop, GCash, the leading financial app in the country, was invited to share its exemplary practices in combating OSAEC. This initiative is a testament to their ongoing commitment to combat cybercrime and foster a secure and protected digital environment.
Ingrid Beroña, the Chief Risk Officer of GCash, had the privilege of enlightening international law enforcement participants about the crucial role of inter-agency partnerships in the battle against the exploitation of women and children.
“Last year, over 100 possible OSAEC transactions were endorsed to GCash by one our partner remittance center and Anti-Money Laundering Council. What we do is we monitor these possible cases and if found suspicious, relevant accounts are blacklisted and reported back to them for further investigation. Aside from reports from our partners, our system also alerts us of suspicious transactions that could possibly be related to sexual abuse of children online,” said Beroña.
The 10-day workshop brought together representatives from various organizations such as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC), Anti Money Laundering Council (AMLC), the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Netherlands Police, and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
GCash, the largest cashless ecosystem in the country, remains committed to ensuring the safety of its users. It maintains close collaboration with top law enforcement authorities such as the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to effectively combat cybercrime.
“Considering our thrust towards financial inclusion, we believe in helping the marginalized so that we can truly be an organization that serves all. More than just scams and fraud, GCash believes that it also has a social responsibility to use its resources against other crimes against persons, especially helpless women and children,” concluded Beroña.
