AFP calls for stronger cybersecurity
THE Armed Forces of the Phlippines highlighted the urgent need for strengthened cyber resilience to safeguard national security amid rising security threats.
During the GovX.0 Summit on Wednesday in Pasay City, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla underscored the importance of a unified, whole-of-nation approach to cybersecurity, noting the increasing risks posed by foreign espionage, cyber attacks, and disinformation campaigns.
“So there will be always attacks that are driving us in different parts of society. But what is important to know is we’re able to detect and we’re able to deter these attacks,” she said.
“Cyber security is not just about firewalls, it’s about the people, the policies that govern it, technology that will be used, and of course, partnerships that we have. It’s not a siloed approach. Cyber security also should be a collaborative thing.”
Padilla cited recent cyber incidents that exposed vulnerabilities in the country’s digital and physical infrastructure.
She said these include unauthorized foreign intelligence gathering that has targeted military bases, power grids, and key government facilities, cybercrime, and misinformation that threatens the integrity of the coming midterm elections.
She also pointed to the rise in cybercrime linked to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), warning that they have enabled hacking, fraud, and even human trafficking.
Padilla said cyber-attacks are not just about data breaches, but can also undermine national stability, disrupt critical operations, and even threaten sovereignty.
She cited the issue of the West Philippine Sea as a focal point for both physical and digital security threats.
“The West Philippine Sea is actually the ground zero for risks and opportunities. So the topic here about our issues in the West Philippine Sea gives us a lot of risks,” she added.
The WPS issue, Padilla said extends beyond territorial disputes, as it has become a cyber battleground where intelligence operations, surveillance, and disinformation campaigns take place.
Padilla highlighted the significance of stronger cybersecurity measures, regional alliances, and technological modernization in defending the country’s territorial and digital sovereignty and in addressing these growing threats.
She called on every Filipino, who has a very strong presence in the cyber world, especially in social media, to remain calm in the cyber domain and help protect the country.
Meanwhile, Padilla assured the AFP’s readiness to collaborate with different government agencies.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines is here to work with different agencies as well. And with all that said, this is our stand in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, each soldier, airman, sailor, and marine will have in our hearts our true tradition of bravery, sacrifice, and selflessness in our local profession of arms, and this will transcend to different domains. So we have a battle cry. It’s our seas, our rights, our future,” she added. Philippine News Agency
