Globe Telecom is calling for stronger government and law enforcement action against the theft and pilferage of telecommunications equipment, saying more than 1,200 incidents recorded this year have disrupted network services across the country.
Globe and its tower company partners recorded 1,245 pilferage cases as of September 2026, resulting in service outages at affected sites, the company said.
The theft of telecommunications equipment can disrupt mobile and data services relied on for work, education, business, emergency communications and access to digital services. Globe also said repeated incidents force operators to redirect resources from network expansion and upgrades to equipment replacement and site restoration.
“This is no longer simply a matter of stolen equipment. When critical telecommunications infrastructure is damaged or taken, communities can lose connectivity and the investments being made to improve network services are undermined,” Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo said.
“We need stronger, coordinated action across government, law enforcement, local communities, and the telecommunications industry to address this problem,” he added.
Globe is urging the National Telecommunications Commission to bring together telecommunications operators, tower companies and relevant government agencies to develop a more coordinated response to infrastructure theft.
The company also called for stronger participation from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, local government units and barangays in preventing and responding to incidents.
Globe said barangay and LGU officials, along with barangay tanods, can help monitor telecommunications facilities, report suspicious activity and verify whether individuals working on network equipment are authorized personnel.
The company also called for greater attention to the illegal purchase and sale of stolen cables, equipment and other network materials, which it said contributes to the profitability of telecommunications infrastructure theft.
Existing laws provide avenues for prosecuting theft and the buying or selling of stolen property, including provisions under the Revised Penal Code and the Anti-Fencing Law.
Globe said more consistent enforcement and closer coordination among national government agencies, local governments, communities and telecommunications companies could help deter repeat incidents and hold perpetrators accountable.
The company said it continues to work with authorities and industry partners to secure network facilities and restore affected sites.
The 1,245 cases recorded through September underscore the impact of infrastructure theft on network availability and the need for measures covering prevention, community monitoring, law enforcement and the illegal resale of stolen telecommunications equipment.