Health, Environment, and Community Well-Being

Cybercrime Awareness and Digital Security in Rural Palawan, Philippines: Insights for Evidence-Based Local Governance

Edison C. Gabileo, Arneil S. Enario and Randy Olano

Abstract

While digital technology offers vital opportunities, such as remote work and e–commerce, to isolated regions like southern Palawan, it also exposes residents to rising cybercrime, creating an urgent need for this study to inform and guide the local government's protective safety measures. This study assessed community awareness of cybercrime and helped the community secure itself from cyber threats. Using the descriptive method, convenience sampling via the Sloven formula was used to determine the participants in Aborlan, Palawan. The mean and T–test were used for data analysis. A validated questionnaire was administered. The findings show that respondents (176) have a mean age of 43.2 years, and that their income comes from small businesses they established in the barangay. Their demographic profile influences their perceptions of the community's safety needs and awareness of digital activities. The respondents believe that reporting cybercrime helps prevent future incidents, and sex significantly influences the measured variable, with females showing higher responses than males at the 0.05 level of significance. Based on respondents' suggestions, schools teach students digital citizenship and cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of understanding digital footprints and applicable rules. The seminar aims to raise community awareness of cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing, and scams, to help detect suspicious online activity and, in case of an emergency, report to the proper authority, such as the Anti–Cybercrime Unit or the Philippine National Police. This study concluded that strengthening awareness of cybercrime in rural areas is important to address the increasing threats to the digital environment. This requires a comprehensive plan to raise community awareness and ensure that the LGU's municipal and provincial–wide initiatives develop policies and guidelines for awareness–raising and reporting when crimes occur. Those initiatives lessen the threats of cybercrime. This study recommends initiating a cybercrime awareness plan that includes studies of crime incidence, cyber best practices, cyber reporting, and implementation–related issues. The plan includes the adoption and formulation of policies from the local government units, the province, and the municipal government.