The government formally started a major campaign to tackle Filipinos’ growing complaints against abusive online lending applications or modern-day loan sharks, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) announced on Monday.
PAOCC is working with the Philippine National Police -Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in this initiative.
This joint effort was part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s instruction to prioritize complaints against abusive online lending apps, so that victims can achieve justice and necessary legal remedies.
About 100 complainants also showed up to give their sworn statements and testimonies before the PNP-CIDG, recounting their stories and aiding law enforcement to put together strong cases against violators.
PNP Chief Nicolas Torre III assured that the complainants will be fully assisted throughout the legal process.
PAOCC noted that online lending operators are causing financial, psychological, and reputational injury to thousands of Filipinos through their threats and harassment. In a matter of weeks, the agency received more than 13,000 complaints in April and May alone.
According to PAOCC Usec. Gilbert Cruz, “these abusive online lending operators have caused serious harm to thousands of Filipinos. Under the President’s directive, we are going after these groups to protect our people and ensure they are held accountable.”
The SEC had already warned Filipinos not to transact or borrow from the online loan sharks operating without registrations or licenses. It emphasized the risk of exposing borrowers to abusive collection practices, privacy violations, and outrageous fees.
The Commission reported it had already ordered the removal and blocking of several online lending apps found operating without the necessary registration and licenses.
Last February 2025, through coordination with international counterparts, PAOCC successfully banned 27 administrators and 89 online scam loan pages from the internet.
The government has made a definitive statement that abusive and exploitative lending will not be tolerated. The administration remained fully committed to protecting the welfare of Filipino consumers, safeguarding financial integrity, and holding all violators accountable under the law.