The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Friday, May 3 cited the lack of cybersecurity experts in both private and public sectors in the Philippines.
On the sidelines of "HackforGov 2024," DICT Cybersecurity Bureau Director Jose Carlos Reyes addressed the shortage of the said profession in government even in the private sectors.
"Karamihan wala, all honesty, karamihan wala, even private organizations (Most organizations don't have dedicated cybersecurity teams. Even in private organizations)," Reyes said.
"Most of them don't have a specific group or person focusing on cybersecurity. Sometimes their MIS (Management Information Systems) team acts as their cybersecurity team, but it shouldn't be like that. There should be a separate cybersecurity team to handle this in each organization," Reyes added in a mix of English and Filipino.
Meanwhile, the DICT official emphasized that this problem is not just in the Philippines but in the world.
"Anywhere in the world, cybersecurity experts are in high demand. And as we know, the hiring process for them is intense," Reyes said, noting that most of the cyber experts are often being recruited, not only here in the Philippines but also abroad.
"So, our experts or professionals in cybersecurity in the Philippines are really declining," he said.
He cited the non-negotiable nature of the base government salary rate as a possible reason.
"This is the salary; you either accept it or not, right? And in the private sector, similarly, they often lack, they fall short because they're also facing budget constraints," Reyes said.
According to a DICT official, the agency needed 3,000 personnel, with 200 for its cybersecurity bureau, but there are currently only 60 cybersecurity experts.
Creating cybersecurity pool
Meanwhile, Reyes pointed out that one of the objectives of the HackforGov 2024 Capture-The-Flag (CTF) is to build a pool of cybersecurity professionals to possibly serve public and private organizations here in the Philippines.
The said event is the way of the government to gear youth with cybersecurity experiences, educating students with practical exposure to thwarting cyberthreats.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/3/putting-skills-to-good-use-dict-launches-hack-for-gov-2024
He then conveyed some interest toward the HackforGov winners in 2023.
"And just in case they are interested in joining the government, it's really quite a welcome for us," Reyes said.
"Especially for those we have sent abroad. The experience of having them sent abroad is already valuable for them," he added.
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