PH Air Force building cybersecurity center under deal with tycoon MVP

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is building a cybersecurity center to boost its capability to counter cyberattacks.

The facility will be funded by tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, PLDT-Smart president and CEO. Pangilinan and PAF chief Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes led the groundbreaking ceremony for the facility at the PAF headquarters in Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Wednesday (Jan. 13), PAF spokesperson Lt. Col. Aristides Galang said in a statement.

The facility, to be named MVP Cybersecurity Center for Excellence, is a “testament of the joint commitment and faith” of PAF and PDLT-Smart to achieve a “resilient cybersecurity posture,” Galang said.

This will enhance the PAF’s cyberdefense capability in line with its modernization efforts.

No other details about the building, like its costs and the target finish date, were immediately available.

The future cybersecurity center will house the PAF’s security operations center, network operations center, and the cyber range, which will serve as the training ground for PAF’s “cyber warriors,” Galang said.

In August 2020, PLDT-Smart signed an agreement with the PAF to help strengthen the Air Force’s cybersecurity capability.

The PLDT Group, through its Cyber Security Operations Group, will provide training for the PAF, enhance the military service’s cyber operations and upgrade the security of its digital infrastructure.

TSB