President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the “National Cybersecurity Plan 2024-2029”, the Palace announced on Thursday, February 8, 2024. (INQUIRER.net stock image)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the “National Cybersecurity Plan 2024-2029”, the Palace announced Thursday.
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan Uy said Marcos was presented with the five-year plan detailing how to bolster the country’s guard against cyberattacks.
“The national cybersecurity plan is, well, it’s a document that provides direction, policy direction, as well as operational guidelines on how to build up our cybersecurity posture vis-à-vis the rest of the world,” Uy said in a Palace briefing.
According to Uy, the National Cybersecurity Plan 2024-2029 helps address the need to improve policy-making when creating a safer cyber landscape.
“It also identifies cyber assets, infrastructure that’s out there that needs to be protected; provides how all of the different government agencies, the different sectors – whether its energy, transportation, finance sector – can come together and address quick responses in case there are any attacks or any attempts, and a good coordination mechanism so that these information are shared,” he said.
He added that an advanced threat mechanism was included in the plan.
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If another country experiences a cyber attack, for example, the government could have information exchange programs with the affected country through computer emergency response teams, according to the DICT chief.
After which, the government could warn local banks of the attacks and the modes used, he also said.
“Whatever vulnerability has been exploited in that attack would most likely be the same vulnerability that cybercriminals will use in order to penetrate other banks or other financial institutions,” Uy said.