The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Thursday said it will launch the ASEAN Women in Cyber Awards.

In a televised briefing, CICC Assistant Secretary Mary Rose Magsaysay underscored the importance of having Filipina analysts.

Magsaysay said the award, called the Gawad Hiraya, is in cooperation with the ASEAN Confederation of Women Organization.

"Since the ACWO chairperson this year is the National Council of Women of the Philippines-Pilipinas ngayon ang head ng ASEAN sa mga women. So sabi ko, bigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon na matikman ang pagmamahal ng mga Pilipina at ituro natin sa kanila ang pagiging batikan sa cyber analysis (Since the ACWO chaiperson this year is the National Council of Women of the Philippines-Pilipinas. So I said, let's give them a chance to feel the love of Filipino people and let's teach them to be skilled in cyber analysis)," Magsaysay said.

According to Magsaysay, the Gawad Hiraya will be held on March 8, coinciding the International Women's Day, and will be done at the National Cybercrime of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)-CICC.

"We're gonna hold it there, face-to-face, and our co-equivalent countries that will be receiving the top women in cyber in their respective countries will be online," she explained.

Launching of cyber analyst certification courses

The award will also coincide with the launching of cyber analyst certification courses

Magsaysay said the certification courses will be available for the private sector and the government as they will onboard their partners in the ASEAN countries in their learning management system that has been established by the DICT-CICC.

"The nice thing about it is it gives us camaraderie amongst ASEAN that we are sharing what we need to help them for," she added.

She also encouraged Filipinas to sign up for the courses.

"I encourage everybody in the Philippine government — the women. Magaling daw kasing imbestigador ang babae — mas masinop tayo, mayroon tayong third eye, may sixth sense daw tayo (I encourage everybody in the Philippine government — the women. It is said that women are as good investigators — we are more prudent, we have a third eye, they say we have a sixth sense)," she added.