The government’s attempt to warn the public against downloading and sharing leaked personal data from the PhilHealth ransomware attack last Sept. 22 is nothing short of hypocrisy. I want to call out the National Privacy Commission for that. Astonishingly, the entity responsible for safeguarding our private information is now trying to shift the blame onto citizens.
The government could have done better in protecting the sensitive data of its citizens stored within its agencies. This breach at PhilHealth didn’t happen overnight; it resulted from negligence and a lack of investment in digital security infrastructure. Now, they dare to threaten individuals at risk because of their incompetence. Well, guess what: even the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it would be a very tall order to be able to go after those who downloaded the leaked data.
So, instead of publicizing scare tactics, the government should admit its failure and take responsibility for the breach – all 650 gigabytes of data stolen by hackers from the state-run health insurance firm.
The government’s response to the PhilHealth ransomware attack reveals its helplessness in the face of digital threats. It’s a colossal burden for PhilHealth members to update their credentials and take their data privacy into their own hands.
Clearly, there is an inability on the part of the government to ensure the security of citizens’ data. So, they essentially pass the responsibility onto the people they failed to protect. That’s the whole purpose of asking PhilHealth members to change their passwords.
While the government talks about tracing those involved, it’s evident that their cybersecurity measures were woefully inadequate from the start. This incident highlights the urgent need for government agencies to prioritize and invest in robust digital security infrastructure.
The powerful ‘small committee’
Last Tuesday, the new “small committee” in the House of Representatives announced the reallocation of P1.2-billion confidential funds in the National Expenditure Program (NEP). This is a first and a breakthrough for transparency in the Philippine budget.
If you recall, weeks of deliberations on the proposed 2024 budget highlighted how much civilian government agencies were getting as confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) and how wantonly some offices were spending them.
Cong. Stella Quimbo and Cong. Zaldy Co, along with the rest of the members of this small committee, have displayed commendable resolve in challenging the opacity surrounding these funds. Finally, they resolved to prioritize the realignment of the funds based on the order of three priorities that best serve national interests: inflation, sovereignty, and accountability.
What makes this even more significant is the backdrop of criticism aimed at the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, both under Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s leadership. Her offices’ request for a staggering P650 million in CIFs has sparked justified concerns about fiscal accountability.
This decisive move by the House sends a clear message that public interest and fiscal responsibility must always take precedence over concealed allocations. It’s a crucial step toward a more open government, and it’s a breath of fresh air that this move by the House is deemed supported by the Senate following a recent executive session on the matter.
Hopefully, senators will pull through with the same resolve in the bicam.
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