Philippines joins global treaty to combat cybercrime

The Philippines has signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, becoming one of the first countries to join the global treaty aimed at strengthening international cooperation in combating online crimes and facilitating cross-border sharing of electronic evidence.

Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda represented the Philippines during the signing ceremony held in Ha Noi, Vietnam, from October 25 to 26.

“Throughout the negotiations, the Philippines advocated for stronger safeguards to protect children online, greater technical assistance for developing nations, and a balanced approach between effective law enforcement and the protection of human rights and privacy,” the DICT said in a statement.

Aguda described the signing as an act of “Digital Bayanihan,” underscoring global collaboration to ensure a safer and more secure digital future.

The DICT noted that the country continues to boost its cyber resilience through initiatives such as Oplan Cyberdome, which provides proactive cyber defense and rapid incident response, and Oplan Paskong Sigurado, a public awareness campaign against online scams during the holiday season.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024, the treaty is the first international agreement to recognize the non-consensual distribution of intimate images as a criminal offense.

The Convention criminalizes a range of cyber-dependent and cyber-enabled offenses, establishes 24/7 cooperation among states, and enhances mechanisms for cross-border sharing of electronic evidence.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the signing of the Convention as “a powerful, legally binding instrument to strengthen our collective defenses against cybercrime.”

“It is a testament to the continued power of multilateralism to deliver solutions. And it is a vow that no country, no matter their level of development, will be defenceless against cybercrime,” Guterres said.