CICC mulls creation of single hub vs. online scams

The government is planning to establish a centralized system that will serve as the main reporting and coordination center for victims of fraud and online scams, in a bid to streamline response efforts and reduce confusion among complainants.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), led by Executive Director Undersecretary Renato Paraiso, is pushing for the creation of a National Anti-Scam Hub (NASH), which will consolidate complaints and route them directly to the appropriate agencies.

In a Bagong Pilipinas interview, Paraiso said the proposal seeks to simplify the current fragmented reporting system.

“Ang layunin naman talaga nito is para ang lahat ng mga kababayan natin na nai-scam, isa lang ang pagsusumbungan, tapos, kami naman sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan kami na ang mag-uusap-usap, oh ito para sa iyo ito, ito para sa iyo ito,” he said.

He added that many victims currently do not know where to file complaints due to overlapping jurisdictions among agencies.

“Kasi, right now, naguguluhan iyong mga kababayan kasi ang dami, hindi nila alam kung saan sila magsusumbong. So, ang balak natin is i-integrate at saka i-streamline ang process of government para may mapagsumbungan at tugunan itong mga problema sa mga scams na ito,” he said.

Under the proposed setup, the Office of the Executive Secretary would oversee the hub, with participation from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, the Bureau for Transnational Crime, and law enforcement units.

Paraiso said the system would allow faster case routing, with the CICC focusing on detection and reporting, while police and investigative agencies handle enforcement.

“Because streamlined na ang processes natin, streamlined na iyong pagtugon natin doon sa mga scams na iyan. So, kung dati parang nagtuturuan or dati nagkakaroon ng confusion, whose jurisdiction it is. Ngayon, by integrating all these government agencies into one roof, puwede na tayong mag-delegate,” he said.

He noted that most scams now operate through digital platforms, messaging apps, and other ICT-based channels, making a unified response system more necessary.

Paraiso also mentioned ongoing cooperation with South Korea in developing a National Cybersecurity Operations Center, which aims to strengthen the country’s digital defenses and protect government systems from cyber threats.