House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

The House of Representatives is scheduled to have a congressional inquiry to address the “relentless barrage” of cyberattacks targeting critical government institutions, Speaker Martin Romualdez announced on Monday, April 29.

In his speech during the resumption of sessions in Congress, Romualdez emphasized the need to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity to protect both the government and the Filipino people from immediate threats.

“Palalakasin natin ang cybersecurity command ng ating bansa para masigurong ligtas ang ating mga institusyon at mga mamamayan sa anumang banta,” said Romualdez.

(We will strengthen our country's cybersecurity command to ensure that our institutions and the people are safe from any threat.)

“Panahon na para labanan ang mga cyber-warriors na umaatake sa ating mga institusyon. Nandito man sila o nasa labas ng ating bansa,” he added.

(It is time to fight the cyber-warriors attacking our institutions. Whether they are here or outside our country.)

The House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, chaired by Navotas City lone district Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco, is set to launch the inquiry on Tuesday.

Romualdez’s plea followed a string of cyberattacks that posed significant risks to sensitive information, integrity, and confidentiality.

The institutions that have been affected include the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC), among others.

The website of the House of Representatives also fell victim to cyberattacks in October 2023.

No less than five months later, on March 13, 2024, the website faced 541.66 million cyberattacks. The House leadership said these attacks were successfully repelled.

Romualdez says that with the upcoming inquiry it is vital to examine the characteristics and extent of  the cyberattacks.

Through the findings and recommendations that will stem from this inquiry, lawmakers are expected to craft a remedial legislation to bolster the government’s defenses.

According to the Speaker, this measure may include provisions for enhancing cybersecurity protocols, strengthening information security infrastructure, promoting greater collaboration between government agencies and cybersecurity experts, and implementing stricter penalties for cyber crimes.

“The ultimate goal is to fortify the government's ability to safeguard sensitive information, protect critical infrastructure, and preserve the integrity of digital systems in the face of emerging cyber risks,” he said.

Technology experts said the attacks aimed to disrupt normal operations by overwhelming the site with Internet traffic, rendering it inaccessible to the public.