PLDT rolls out SmartSafe to replace one-time passwords

PLDT Inc. through its corporate arm PLDT Enterprise has unveiled SmartSafe, a telecommunication-enabled authentication system that aims to phase out one-time passwords (OTP), with government support expected for a nationwide rollout.

SmartSafe was launched alongside partners “who are all united by a shared goal: a digital Philippines built on trust, safety and innovation,” PLDT Senior Vice-President and Enterprise Business head Patricio S. Pineda III said in a statement on Wednesday.

Developed with Smart Communications, Inc., the company’s wireless unit, SmartSafe is the country’s first telco-powered fraud management application programming interface suite globally certified by the GSMA, the worldwide association of mobile network operators.

Mr. Pineda said SmartSafe’s SilentAccess feature replaces SMS-based OTPs by verifying users directly within Smart and PLDT’s secure networks. It is the first in the country to deliver the safest telco-powered authentication solution available today, he said.

“When businesses and their customers feel safe, they have the confidence to grow,” he added.

Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda said the agency would issue an order to support the adoption of the system and direct other telecommunication companies to implement similar security measures.

“Obviously, it will not happen overnight,” he said in the statement. “This is much safer, and within GSMA standards instead of OTP.”

SmartSafe was launched in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, National Privacy Commission and National Telecommunications Commission.

The technology lets users log in or complete transactions without relying on OTPs, reducing risks from phishing and SIM-related fraud. Businesses can integrate the system into their digital platforms to strengthen authentication and streamline customer access.

PLDT said SmartSafe is part of its broader push to reinforce the country’s digital security infrastructure as more transactions move online.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of the PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., holds a majority stake in ����ý through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose