Author: Marlet Salazar

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has launched HANDA, a unified platform designed to improve early warning, disaster preparedness, and emergency response across the Philippines. Handa: The Integrated Platform for Preparedness, Early Warning, and Response aims to bring together data, analytics, and coordination tools into a single system powered by geospatial technology and artificial intelligence (AI). It aims to address gaps in how agencies share information and respond to disasters. Developed under the Geospatial Analytics and Technology Solutions (GATES) Program, HANDA aims to become the country’s national platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (DRR–CCA). PHIVOLCS…

Ateneo de Manila University has introduced a robotics-based system designed to assist archaeological excavation, combining robotics, sensing technologies, and machine learning to improve how researchers study and document early human activity in the Philippines. The system, called ArchaeoBot, was presented during the Ateneo Breakthroughs lecture. It was developed through collaboration between the Ateneo Laboratory for Intelligent Visual Environments and Dr. Alfred Pawlik, professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the university. ArchaeoBot is designed to enhance precision in excavation work, reduce human error, and help identify subtle archaeological features that may be difficult to detect using manual methods.…

PLDT, Smart Communications, and Globe Telecom said they are ready to follow a government order to block access to Roblox if talks with regulators fail, as concerns grow over risks to children on the platform. The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has placed Roblox under close watch after reports of alleged harmful content and interactions involving minors. The Philippines is seen as a key market for Roblox, with about 5.1 million daily active users this year based on estimates from IconEra, a gaming community. “We appreciate the readiness of internet service providers to support government measures that aim to…

Digital natives can never imagine life without the internet. On March 29, 1994, the Philippines officially connected to the digital world. While these brought us closer to the world, constantly plugging in also brought challenges in data privacy and cybersecurity. Records show that on this day at 1:15 a.m., engineer Benjie Tan was working at a PLDT center in Makati. He was trying to establish a live link to a Sprint gateway in California. When the connection finally went through, he sent a quick “ping” to confirm the link was active. With that one successful test, the country was finally…

Wireless earbuds are easy to lose. They slip out, fall under seats, or disappear in the middle of a commute. It’s a small problem, but one that happens often enough to be frustrating. The Shokz OpenFit Pro leans into a different approach to solve that. Instead of going in-ear, the earbuds sit just outside the ear, hooked in place. The design makes them feel more secure, while still letting in ambient sound, which is useful for travel, walking, or workouts. Shokz is also introducing what it calls Open-Ear Noise Reduction, a first for the brand. The system uses three microphones…

The Philippine government has pushed back its deadline for Roblox to respond to safety concerns, giving the gaming platform until April 3, 2026 to talk with regulators or face a possible nationwide ban. The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) earlier considered shortening the response window to 15 days due to what it described as delayed response from the company, but has since allowed more time after Roblox reportedly reached out to authorities. Authorities, led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), are investigating how the platform is allegedly being used to exploit minors, who make up a…

The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators (PCTO) is urging the government to slow down the rollout of the Konektadong Pinoy Act, otherwise known as Republic Act No. 12234, as the country faces a national energy emergency, warning that rushing new rules could strain telecom services used by millions of Filipinos. In a statement, the group said it supports the law’s goal of improving internet access nationwide but asked regulators to “take a more measured approach” in implementing its rules. Among the group’s concerns is the pace of public consultations on technical policies such as infrastructure sharing, the “dig once” policy,…

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has placed video game Roblox under strict monitoring, issuing a 30-day ultimatum for the company to address allegations of illegal activities involving Filipino minors. Authorities said the platform, which is popular for both kids and adults, is being exploited by threat actors, including individuals engaged in child exploitation and illicit trade. The agency warned that Roblox’s highly interactive environment may be used to lure minors, shift conversations to private channels, and expose them to harmful or coercive content. “If Roblox fails to respond, we will coordinate with telecommunications companies to implement a ban.…

Amid growing competition from TikTok and YouTube, Meta-owned Facebook is launching Creator Fast Track, a new program that aims to help content creators fast-track growth and earnings on the platform. This new offering promises guaranteed pay and increased reach for eligible reels, the company said in its blog post. The program targets creators who have built followings on other platforms but are starting fresh or rediscovering Facebook. Participants receive three months of guaranteed pay and boosted reach on eligible reels, helping them grow followers faster while joining Facebook Content Monetization. In 2025, Facebook said it paid almost $3 billion to…

Instagram, the social media platform owned by Meta, said it will stop supporting end-to-end encrypted chats starting May 8, 2026. Users who enabled the feature can download messages and media they want to keep. The change affects conversations protected by end-to-end encryption, a security feature that ensures only devices holding the correct cryptographic keys can read messages or access shared media. Once the feature is discontinued, encrypted conversations stored under the system may no longer be accessible. “If you have chats that are impacted by this change, you will see instructions on how you can download any media or messages…