Leslie REP. TIANGCO TO DICT: REVIEW ANTI-CYBERCRIME EFFORTS, STRENGTHEN PREVENTIVE MEASURES

The recent surge in cyberattacks and data breaches affecting government systems, as well as the country's high ranking in global data breach cases, underscores the urgent need for more robust measures to protect our nation's digital infrastructure and the data of Filipinos.

As Chair of the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, I urge the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to conduct a comprehensive review of their existing programs and policies, and aim to identify and address the vulnerabilities that cybercriminals exploit. 

DICT should adopt a proactive approach similar to how doctors address health concerns– prevention is key. While we appreciate the efforts of the agency, such as its National Computer Emergency Response Team and its National Cybercrime Hub, these must be complemented by preventive measures against cybercrimes.

On Tuesday, the Department of Migrant Workers suspended its online services following a ransomware attack, disrupting critical services needed by our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Additionally, a report by Surfshark, a Norway-based virtual private network provider, ranked the Philippines 29th out of 250 countries and territories in terms of data breaches in the second quarter of 2024. Although the decrease in incidents is a positive sign--from 7.7 million cases in the first quarter this year to over 385,000 in the second quarter--the high global ranking remains alarming. 

As we embrace a digital world, our regulatory policies must adapt to the evolving nature of cybercrimes. Without robust digital infrastructure, Filipinos remain vulnerable to privacy breaches, fraud, and other cybercrimes.

I urge the DICT to develop a comprehensive plan to bolster the protection of digital systems, particularly those providing essential services to Filipinos.

We must ensure that every Filipino is safe, even in digital spaces.

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