Globe Telecom and its tower company partners recorded 1,245 cases of cable and telecommunications equipment theft as of September 2026, prompting the company to call for stronger government and community action against infrastructure pilferage.
In a press release, Globe said the incidents have caused service outages nationwide and disrupted mobile and data connectivity used for work, education, business, emergency communications and other digital services.
The company warned that repeated theft also affects investments intended to improve network coverage, quality and resilience.
Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo said the issue has gone beyond stolen equipment because damage to telecommunications facilities can cut off communities from essential services.
“When critical telecommunications infrastructure is damaged or taken, communities can lose connectivity and the investments being made to improve network services are undermined,” Castelo said.
Globe urged the National Telecommunications Commission to convene telecommunications operators, tower companies and concerned government agencies for a more coordinated response.
It also called for greater involvement from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, local government units and barangays in preventing theft and enforcing existing laws.
The company said barangay officials and tanods can help monitor vulnerable sites, report suspicious activity and verify whether people working on telecommunications facilities are legitimate and authorized personnel.
Globe also called for stronger action against the illegal buying and selling of stolen cables, equipment and other network materials, saying the resale market helps sustain infrastructure theft.
Existing laws, including provisions of the Revised Penal Code and the Anti-Fencing Law, may be used to prosecute theft and the purchase or sale of stolen property, Globe said.
The company said more consistent enforcement and closer coordination among national agencies, LGUs, communities and telecommunications firms could help deter repeat incidents.
Globe added that resources intended for network expansion and upgrades are sometimes diverted to replacing stolen equipment and restoring damaged sites.
It said pilferage has already resulted in more than a thousand site outages this year and called for a national response covering prevention, community vigilance, law enforcement and the illegal resale of stolen telecommunications equipment.*
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