The Philippines is deepening collaboration with like-minded partners to safeguard democracy and election integrity amid continuous rise in cybercrimes and the on-going threat of foreign interference ahead of the 2025 national elections.
Ambassadors from Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Germany emphasized this during a two-day conference on cybersecurity organized by the Stratbase Institute in partnership with the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines.
Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman emphasized the importance of cooperation with Philippines and other like-minded allies to build cyber resilient systems and protect each other’s sovereignty.
“There is tremendous potential for Canada and the Philippines, as well as other partners in the region, to collaborate on cybersecurity initiatives. Our countries can share best practices and lessons learned, work together on incident response, enhance capacity building and advocate together for responsible state behavior in cyberspace,” Hartman said.
Hartman shared that similar to the Philippines, Canada is primarily concerned with malicious cybersecurity threats, which attack their critical infrastructure and which spread online disinformation campaigns and engage in malign influence operations.
He noted that a Canadian public inquiry found that multiple foreign states engaged in malicious activities to undermine Canada’s sovereignty during their 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
“Foreign state actors are increasingly using the information space to interfere in Canada’s internal affairs and to undermine our sovereignty… Let me be blunt: Canada is clear-eyed about the threat that disinformation and online manipulation present, and we are very serious about responding to it,” Hartman said.
Senior Official for Cybersecurity at the Government of Canada Sami Khoury highlighted the growing risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) to electoral processes and civic engagement.
“China continues to be the cyber actor that almost certainly poses the greatest ongoing cyber espionage threat. Their cyber activities outpace those of other nations in volume, sophistication, and the breadth of their targeting. They are well-resourced, persistent, and capable of sustaining multiple campaigns simultaneously,” Khoury warned.
Similarly in the Philippines, with the May 2025 Philippine midterm elections approaching, concerns over online disinformation and foreign interference are mounting.
In his speech during the conference, Stratbase Institute President Dindo Manhit discussed the web of disinformation, perpetuated by foreign actors, but use Filipinos to spread disinformation online, particularly about the West Philippine Sea, and influence the decision-making of Filipinos, ahead of the 2025 election season.
“The digital space, once a tool for democracy, is now weaponized. Pro-China narratives and propaganda infiltrate social media, distorting public opinion and undermining sovereignty—particularly on issues like the West Philippine Sea,” Manhit said.
“We must continue working with like-minded partners such as Canada to share threat intelligence, facilitate technology transfers, and engage in trainings, among others. It is through these that we will be able to fill any gaps in cyber defense. Leveraging the contributions and expertise of the government, private sector, civil society, and like-minded partners is crucial amid today’s evolving cyber landscape,” Manhit added.
British Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils said the Philippines and United Kingdom continue to fight the same threats, which are being launched from anywhere in the world.
“Both of our countries have suffered ransomware attacks on critical healthcare systems and seen our governance targeted by hostile states. Sharing intelligence, building resilience, and taking down these actors together are key to keeping our societies secure,” Beaufils said.
European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro emphasized the need for a global commitment to an open and transparent digital world.
“By working together, we strengthen not only our capacities, but also our global commitment for a democratic, open and transparent digital world. We are sure that we can build a cyberspace that is not only secure, but equitable, inclusive and future-proof,” Santoro said.
German Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke highlighted the broader role of cyber diplomacy.
“Cyber diplomacy is not merely about protecting networks and systems. It’s about fostering a global community where all nations, individuals, and organizations can safely and freely participate in the digital world.”
Similarly, Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Melvin Castelino Anthony said multilateral engagement is crucial in tackling cybersecurity challenges.
“With technology rapidly evolving, it is intentional to maintain the momentum of international discussions to establish clear norms, principles and cooperative mechanisms that guide state behaviour in cyberspace,” he said.