As hackers and scammers increase their online illegal activities, a think tank group urged the national government to ensure the safety of digital environment by implementing measures to protect from cyberattacks.
Stratbase ADR Institute president Dindo Manhit said that while digitalization is conducive to growth innovation, digital environment should be safe for all users— from individuals and households to private enterprises and public offices.
"Alongside defense and the economy, the digital environment must not only be conducive to growth and innovation but also safe for all users. Recent instances of cybersecurity breaches have brought attention to the extent of the damage that can be caused by such incidents,” said Manhit.
"They can range from individual hackers out for a thrill, a criminal syndicate wanting to rake in profits, to a nation-state wanting to cripple its target’s critical infrastructure for economic or political purposes," he added.
Manhit acknowledged the government's move of adopting the National Cybersecurity Plan 2023-2028 of Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as cybersecurity plays an important role in the digital era.
One of the cybersecurity issues being faced in the country is the increasing number of pirated contents being consumed online.
Manhit said that solving cybersecurity threats is a shared responsibility to aid in maintaining a safe and secure digital environment: “Cyberspace is being weaponized and is a clear and present threat that we must be ready to repel at all levels of our society."
The passage of the two bills in the Senate, which aim to curb online piracy would help empower government agencies to go after suspicious sites and take actions against them.
"Online criminals and intellectual property thieves have gotten away with many things in the past. These people unjustly enrich themselves by profiting from the work and resources and that rightfully belong to others. They must be stopped now," Manhit said.