THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) yesterday denounced what it said was the misuse of its Emergency Cell Broadcast System (ECBS) for political campaigning.
The OCD said the system is for use solely for the dissemination of alerts to mobile phone users during emergencies
“Utilizing it for political messages not only undermines its critical purpose but also risks desensitizing the public to genuine emergencies, potentially endangering lives,” the OCD said in a statement.
The OCD said it “strongly condemns the inappropriate use” of the ECBS, noting that the system “is designed exclusively for issuing life-saving alerts during emergencies, such as earthquakes, typhoons, and other public safety threats.”
The OCD is the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), which is in charge of the government’s efforts to prepare, mitigate and respond during calamities.
“Recently, we have received multiple reports from residents in certain provinces who reported receiving ECBS alerts that included political content urging them to vote for specific candidates,” the OCD said.
“These messages, designed to mimic urgent emergency notifications, create confusion and may lead to complacency during real crises,” it added.
The OCD said telecommunication firms Globe Telecom and Smart Communications denied using the ECBS for non-emergency messages and said they “have not sent any political campaign alerts.”
“It is crucial to emphasize that none of these telecommunications providers offer ECBS services to private individuals or companies for any purpose other than genuine emergencies,” the OCD said.
It said the misuse of the system, especially for political gain, “is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
The OCD has already coordinated with the National Telecommunications Commission for the conduct of “appropriate investigation and action,” the statement said.
“The OCD is actively coordinating with relevant agencies to thoroughly investigate these incidents and ensure that those responsible are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” the OCD said.
It urged the public to remain vigilant and report to authorities any further misuse of the system.
“Together, we can protect the integrity of our emergency alert system — keeping the public safe,” the OCD said.
In October 2021, unscrupulous people also used the system to endorse the candidacy of then presidential aspirant and now President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The NDRRMC has said it appeared that the people behind sending the pro-Marcos messages used a technology outside the telecommunication companies.
