The survey found that 96 percent of Filipino respondents rated their online safety habits as good or very good, yet only 48 percent consistently followed basic cybersecurity practices such as using unique passwords, creating one of the widest confidence gaps in the region.
The disconnect comes at a cost. Fifty-seven percent of Filipinos said they had already fallen victim to cybercrime, well above the Asia-Pacific average of 39 percent, while 93 percent reported encountering scam attempts.
Confidence exceeds caution
“What this shows is that the issue is no longer awareness—it’s behavior,” said Jemma Delacruz, bolttech Philippines general manager.
Nearly 70 percent of respondents admitted reusing passwords across multiple accounts, increasing the risk that a single hacked account could expose several others.
The study also found that 58 percent of Filipinos expect someone in their household to become a cybercrime victim within the next year, underscoring how widespread online fraud has become.
Philippines among most exposed
Across Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asian markets including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia reported higher exposure to scams and cybercrime than markets such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Australia.
The study, conducted by Blackbox Research for bolttech, surveyed 3,850 consumers across 11 Asia-Pacific markets to examine online behavior, cyber risks and digital safety practices.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
