ACTING on the directive of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, the House Committees on Information and Technology (ICT) chaired by Navotas City Rep. Tobias Tiangco and on Public Information chaired by Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose Aquino III on Tuesday held a briefing on the recent cybersecurity breaches on critical government domains.
Tiangco described the recent wave of cyberattacks as a wake-up call for the government to prioritize the protection of the country’s digital infrastructure.
“The recent cybersecurity breaches have further highlighted the pressing need for enhanced security measures and vigilant monitoring to ensure the integrity of our critical information,” he said.
Tiangco added that these breaches have the potential to disrupt essential government services, compromise sensitive data, and create significant impact on national security.
He affirmed that the House of Representatives is continuously coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and cybersecurity consultants to address the issue.
DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy thanked Congress for recognizing the need to strengthen the government domain against cyberattacks and for supplementing the DICT’s cybersecurity budget.
Dy also committed to submit a report on the constant attacks against the official website of the House.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded 64,077 cyber crime cases. Data showed that cases gradually decreased from March to December 2023, which could possibly be attributed to the enactment of the SIM Card Registration Law and the intensified efforts to boost cybercrime awareness.
Police Major General Sidney Hernia, Anti-Cybercrime Group director, said pursuant to the instructions of PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., the PNP is now working on operationalizing its own cybersecurity operations center.
