Senior citizens are usually the prey of scammers especially when it comes to messages found on socmeds or via sms. Such as what happened to Tessie Lumacan, a 61 yr old resident of Pasig City. The former OFW who worked in Hong Kong had fallen victim to a phising scam involving her brother's hacked Facebook account, where she unknowingly sent her hard-earned money.
"Na-scam na ako eh. Kaya careful akong magpress ng mga link link na yan," she said.
The experience made her suspicious when it comes to making online transactions, and attending Globe's Senior Digizen Learning Session has been a nice experience for her and the other senior citizen attendees where they learned how to avoid falling for scams and how to use digital tools effectively.
Globe recently brought the Senior Digizen campaign to the San Miguel Elementary School in Barangay San Miguel, Pasig City, where it gathered about 80 seniors from different barangays in Pasig City for a half day of learning digital skills.
45 Globe volunteers helped the seniors about the basic use of mobile phones, fundamentals of cybersecurity, and making the most out of apps such as GCash and KonsultaMD.
"Kahit 'yung mga tumatawag, sabihin "Congratulations, nanalo ka!" hindi ko yan gagalawin, hindi ko na pipindutin 'yung link kasi na-phobia na ako dyan. Kaya at least alam ko na ngayon," added Lumacan.
"Phising, smishing, vishing. 'Yung differences nila natutunan ko, how to avoid them, pagpasok sa telepono mo ng mga messages. You have to be careful about clicking the links that they send you," said Elda Hernandez, a 61 yr old former teacher and call center agent. "Paying your bills, you can send moneyb to others, you can receive money from your bank to your GCash, even from abroad."
"Ang hirap pumunta sa mga doktor eh, ang lalayo ng mga ospital, clinic, kaya siguro mas madali para sa akin 'pag nag-consult ako via online, mas hindi kami hirap, hindi kami pagod di ba?" added Lumacan.
Pasig City Councilor Paul Roman Santiago thanked Globe for bringing the program to the city, citing the importance of digital literacy for seniors amid the prevalence of scams.
Like Lumacan and Hernandez, learning about GCash and KonsultaMD was also particularly valuable for Alleili Canilla, a 72-yr old retired communications professional from Barangay San Miguel, and 67-yr old Rafael Yamio, from Barangay San Jose.
"Ang pinakamahalagang lesson na natutunan ko sa inyo ay tungkol doon sa GCash. Actually, di ko alam ang GCash noon, ngayon alam ko na. At saka yung mga consultation sa mga doktor," said Canilla.
For Yamio, "Nawala 'yung GCash nung isang beses sa cellphone. Tapos na-recover ko rin. Doon sa speaker, doon ko lang nalaman na 'ah, pwede palang ganito," he shared. "Kailangan mong matuto para sa sarili mo, hindi para umasa sa anak, sa kapitbahay, o sa kaibigan."
Based on the feedback from the participants of the #SeniorDigizen campaign, it shows that these 'new' learnings are important especially for the elderly.
By addressing the seniors' apprehensions about technology and protecting them from online risks, the program empowers them to use online services with confidence and enhance their quality of life.
"We are committed to fostering digital inclusion for all, especially our senior citizens who might feel left behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. The Senior Digizen program is designed to empower the elderly with life-enabling knowledge and skills they need to navigate the digital world confidently and safely," said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe.
Along with the rapid digital transformation, Globe remains committed to creating a safe and inclusive digital future for all.
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