GLOBE Telecom Inc. recorded a sharp rise in cases of battery thefts from network facilities in the first half.
“Battery theft, especially those brazenly carried out during the day, are a stark reminder of the challenges we face,” Globe network field maintenance head Michael Honig said in a statement on Monday.
“While we’re dedicated to ensuring 24/7 reliability, the increasing incidents of battery theft undermine our ability to maintain uninterrupted service, especially during power outages,” he added.
The Ayala-led telco said 834 units were lost to thieves from January to June, around 2.4 times higher than the 352 cases in 2022.
Broken down, Mindanao booked the highest number of incidents with 424, followed by Visayas with 363 and the Greater Manila Area with 47.
The batteries serve as backup power during area-specific commercial power outages. Without them, affected localities become vulnerable to telco service interruptions.
Globe said it was closely working with local authorities and urged local government units to conduct random inspections in their areas.
The firm also warned the public against buying and purchasing stolen property since this is subject to legal action.
Globe’s share price dropped by P7 to P1.766 on Monday.