Lacson wants DND to level up its tech capabilities

Sen. Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER file photo / JAM STA. ROSA

Senator Panfilo Lacson urged the Department of National Defense (DND) to upgrade its technology capabilities to block national threats in the cyberspace.

“We are in an age of biotechnology and artificial intelligence. We should be looking at control of the airwaves and cyberspace,” Lacson said during the hearing of the Senate Finance Committee on the 2019 budget of DND.

“Hindi ba dapat doon na tayo papunta [Are we not supposed to be heading that direction]?  I think you should pursue that,” he added.

The DND is seeking a budget of P6.856 million for a Cyberspace Simulation Center of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The amount is supposed to be spent for three years, starting from 2019 to 2020.

But the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has scheduled the funding to start only in 2020. The DBM also did not adopt the proposal of the DND to provide P23.283 million to activate a cyber group.

Lacson said these moves of the budget department is not favorable to the country at a time when threats may also come from the cyberspace.

“How can we implement these programs if there is no funding?” he said./jpv

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