The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has called on cyber experts from across the country to apply for government cybersecurity positions.
"We have long been calling attention to the significant challenge we face, which is the large disparity in salaries for our cyber security experts within our government," DICT Assistant Secretary Aboy Paraiso said in an interview with the Manila Bulletin on Feb. 10.
"Compared to the private sector, especially with the offers from other countries, there is a significant difference, a large gap that we need to fill when it comes to being competitive in terms of salary for cyber security IT professionals," he added in a mix of English and Filipino.
However, Paraiso emphasized that this is the reason why the DICT appealed to lawmakers to consider changes in the Salary Standardization Law.
This law currently dictates the maximum salary for a government position.
The proposed changes aim to make the government more competitive in the hiring market for cybersecurity experts.
In a Presidential Communication Office (PCO) press briefing on Feb. 8, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy emphasized that the government has 2 million vacant positions for cybersecurity experts
Furthermore, Paraiso mentioned the DICT's initiative to prepare aspiring IT professionals for their careers and provide them with an opportunity to serve their country.
"But the DICT, on the other hand, is not lacking. Aside from the call for them to apply in the government, appealing to their sense of nationality, the DICT is proactive. We really reach out, even to our students," Paraiso said.
"We conduct various competitions where we provide a safe environment and space to test the skills of our hackers (white hat hackers) who are still in our schools," he added.
Last October 2023, the DICT launched its second "HackforGov Finals: Capture-the-Flag Competition 2023."
This competition aimed to create a safe environment for aspiring cybersecurity experts to sharpen their skills, particularly in tracing cyber attacks.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/16/dict-underscores-need-to-invest-in-a-cyber-resilient-future-for-ph