“CYBERCRIME incidents are increasing every day and in every manner in almost every sphere of our lives, and we need to be better prepared for it,” Lito Averia, President of the Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team (PH-CERT) said on the technology show “Tech Sabado” which is narrow-casted over YouTube.
“Due to the increasing incidence of cybercrime, there is a growing need to bolster the ranks of cybersecurity professionals to defend persons and institutions against these nefarious cyber attacks. It is also imperative to work together through ethical communities to stave off threats from bad actors and rogue nation states that sponsor cyber terrorism,” Averia commented.
Responding to a question from lead host and Manila Times editor Jing Garcia, Averia also said that the increasing incidents requires a holistic approach from the government and private sector, which is one of the aims of the International Conference on ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Community (IC-AJCC) which happened yesterday, September 19 in Crowne Plaza.
Averia also clarified that PH-CERT is a private sector initiative, differentiating it from the CERT-PH (Computer Emergency Response Team of the Philippines) is the national cybersecurity incident response team under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
PH-CERT that aims to promote cybersecurity awareness and collaboration in the Philippines. It is a non-profit organization that is composed of cybersecurity professionals from various industries. It organizes conferences, workshops, and webinars to raise awareness about cybersecurity and to promote collaboration among cybersecurity professionals.
The IC-AJCC brought together the country’s leading cybersecurity and data protection communities with cybersecurity experts from ASEAN countries and Japan to discuss the latest trends and challenges in cybersecurity. The conference is organized by the ASEAN Cyber Capacity Programme (ACCP), which is a joint initiative of the ASEAN member states and Japan.
“The conference theme, “Building a Secure and Resilient ASEAN Cyberspace,” is a recurring one because cyber security practitioners must constantly update themselves on the latest security trends, particularly those in the developing sphere of AI,” Averia said. The conference will feature a variety of sessions, including keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops.
“CyberSecConPH is a free but by-invitation only event,” Averia added, asking listeners to register.
“The organizers will also launch initiatives that will strengthen the information security, and cybersecurity practices in the Philippines. We expect over 100 CISOs, CIOs, and even Data Professionals to gather for this event,” Sam Jacoba, CyberSecConPH conference chair said during a press briefing.
The ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Community International Conference is an important opportunity for cybersecurity experts in ASEAN and Japan to share their knowledge and experiences, and to collaborate on developing solutions to the region’s cybersecurity challenges.
Co-presented and organized by the PH-CERT and, the National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP), CyberSecConPH aims to facilitate networking and knowledge sharing among individuals and organizations in the field of Information Security and Cybersecurity, especially cross-sector collaboration between public and private entities.
Speakers at the CyberSecConPH are Seiichi Ito, Chair of International Relations Committee of the NPO Japan Network Security Association (JNSA); Dr. Rudi Lumanto, Founder and Advisor of the Indonesia Network Security Association (IdNSA) discussed cybersecurity best practices in Japan, USec. Jeffrey Dy of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and his team gave an update on the status of the National Cybersecurity Plan 2023-2028.
“Creating an Asia-wide Cybersecurity Community of Practice and Cooperation is one of the best ways for us to fight against cybercrime,” Ito said. “We are grateful that the Philippines responded positively to the Japan-ASEAN Cybersecurity Community initiative, and we look forward to engaging and sharing best practices with our fellow practitioners in your country.”
Other speakers and facilitators include Wilson Chua Co-Founder of Bandwidth and Signal Strength Philippines (BASS) Philippines; Engels Antonio ICT Committee Chair of the National Advisory Group for Police Transformation and Development of the Philippine National Police (PNP); Dr. William Yu, CTO of MDI Novare; Atty. Mara Villegas, PH-CERT Vice President for Legal, PH-CERT; Dr. Arne Barcelo, Service Management Track Head of the Information Systems Department, University of Sto. Tomas; Atty. Kiko Acero, Data Protection Officer of Meralco; and, Abet Dela Cruz, Co-Founder of PH-CERT.
