PSAC Digital Infra presents recommendations to strengthen cybersecurity to President Marcos

The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Digital Infrastructure sector convened to tackle the critical issue of fortifying the nation's digital landscape against escalating cyber threats. Chaired by Sabin Aboitiz, PSAC lead convenor, and Henry Aguda, PSAC – Digital Infra Sector lead, the meeting culminated in presenting key recommendations to President Bongbong Marcos to bolster the country's cyber defenses.

Addressing the pressing need for proactive measures, Aguda emphasized, "In our meeting with the President, we underscored the critical need for proactive measures to safeguard our nation's critical information infrastructure. The recommendations we presented to President Marcos aim to fortify our defenses against evolving cyber threats, ensuring the resilience and security of our digital landscape."

President Marcos acknowledged the urgency, "It looks like there is a great need for structural requirements in legislation… Let me work on the Cybersecurity Act, Anti-Mule, and the Online Site Blocking Act. We'll see how far along these are… We will talk with the leadership of the Legislature and see how we can move it along quickly."

PSAC Digital Infrastructure advocated strongly for an Executive Order mandating Minimum Information Security Standards for Critical Information Infrastructure in alignment with the National Cybersecurity Plan. This strategic move seeks to enhance the resilience of vital systems against potential cyber intrusions.

Highlighting urgency, the council stressed the certification of Senate Bill No. 1365, the Cybersecurity Act, and Senate Bill No. 2039, the Anti-Mule Act, as Priority Legislation. These bills hold substantial potential to fortify cybersecurity's legal framework and combat financial cyber crimes.

Encouraging President Marcos's support, PSAC Digital Infrastructure endorsed the upcoming Data Unity Summit and urged the President to deliver a keynote address. Emphasizing the administration's commitment to fostering data unity and security is crucial.

The council fully supported the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to combat fraud and financial cyber threats to establish a Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group. This initiative will focus on creating a Mobile Device Database and Anti-Financial Crimes Command Center.

President Marcos stated, "I think that is basically what we are learning; we shouldn't be shy about outsourcing because we don't need to reinvent the wheel, which is being reinvented every day."

The council reaffirmed its dedication to collaborating closely with the government and stakeholders to implement these recommendations effectively. The aim is to elevate the country's cybersecurity posture and ensure a robust defense against evolving cyber threats.