11-10-2023 (MANILA) The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has issued a warning against a move by lawmakers to strip the agency of its confidential funds, stating that it conveys the “wrong message” regarding the nation’s commitment to safeguarding its cyber borders.
DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy expressed concern on Wednesday, explaining that the department will appeal to Congress to restore the proposed P300 million in confidential funds.
Uy stated in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, “It will be a big blow. Basically, we’re sending the wrong message to all cybercriminals that the Philippines is an open city, that they can commit whatever they want here, and the government will not be able to do anything to go after them or prevent them from carrying out their criminal acts here.”
The House of Representatives recently decided to allocate zero confidential funds to various government offices, including the DICT, in the proposed national budget for the next year. According to the House appropriations committee, a total of P1.23 billion in confidential funds will be reallocated to agencies focusing on the country’s territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Uy emphasized that while efforts are being made to protect physical borders, cybersecurity should not be neglected. He asked, “What about our cyber borders? You already saw how our PhilHealth was attacked. And there will be more of these in the coming days and weeks and coming years. That does not alarm anybody?”
The Philippines has faced significant cybersecurity threats, with a massive data leak involving PhilHealth that exposed sensitive information. The Philippine Statistics Authority is also investigating an alleged data leak involving its system.
