The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the country’s cybersecurity following reports of persistent cyberattacks allegedly linked to China.
AFP spokesperson Col. Margareth Padilla on Tuesday emphasized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to fortify cyber defenses across government agencies during a recent command conference.
“In terms of our cybersecurity efforts, as you’ve seen during our recently concluded command conference, our Commander-in-Chief emphasized the need to strengthen our cyber defenses and collaborate with other agencies,” Padilla said in a paraphrased statement during a briefing.
Padilla highlighted the AFP’s close coordination with international allies and the integration of cybersecurity initiatives in joint military exercises such as Balikatan. “Even in our exercises, cybersecurity defenses are now included,” she added.
She further noted that the AFP has been refining its organizational structure to address evolving threats in the digital domain. The activation of the Cyber Command, alongside the Intelligence Command, is a key step toward enhancing the military’s cyber resilience.
Padilla stressed that “cybersecurity is everyone’s concern” and not just the responsibility of AFP. “The important thing is that we can detect and deter these attacks,” she noted.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) confirmed on Tuesday that various executive branch agencies have been targeted by cyberattacks allegedly linked to China.
DICT Undersecretary for Cybersecurity Jeffrey Ian Dy revealed that the attacks had affected agencies such as the Philippine Coast Guard, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and even the Office of the President.
