GLOBE Telecom, Inc. has strengthened its collaboration with local government units and law enforcement authorities to address the high incidence of cable theft.
“As part of its proactive approach to addressing cable theft, Globe continuously collaborates with our partner local government units and local law enforcement agencies so that together, we can bring a holistic solution to this problem,” said Globe Vice-President for External Affairs Patrick Steven F. Gloria said.
“We look forward to stronger cooperation with our partners to bring cable theft numbers further down,” he added.
Globe said it is seeking to further lower the declining cases in the five months to May, which stood at 476, down 60% from the same period last year.
The company said it is working with local authorities after the 498 cases logged in Cebu City; 171 in Quezon City; 161 in Manila; 118 in Mandaue City, Cebu; 73 in Valenzuela City; 67 in Malabon; 64 in Pasig City; and 62 cases each in Liloan and Consolacion, Cebu.
“Cable theft is a criminal act punishable by law. We work together with authorities and communities to combat this illegal activity to ensure undisrupted service,” Globe At Home Broadband Business Vice-President Raymond Policarpio said.
“With consistently available connectivity, we will be able to support our customers in education, work and livelihood, and provide critical communication services in case of disasters and other emergencies,” he added.
Aside from cable theft, Globe continues to see other incidents of stolen assets in various facilities.
During the first half, Globe recorded 1,545 incidents, including the theft of batteries, fuel, and other electronics and facility hardware. Due to these incidents, Globe recorded 207 outages as of May 2023 in 124 sites.
Meanwhile, the company has been replacing copper wires with fiber optic cables — which have no resale value — to “further discourage unscrupulous persons from targeting copper wires.” — Sheldeen Joy Talavera