The Philippines faces growing cybersecurity threats as hackers increasingly target government systems, but ongoing reforms and stronger coordination across agencies show the country is moving in the right direction, according to a cybersecurity expert from Palo Alto Networks.
Nicole Quinn, Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs for Japan and Asia Pacific at Palo Alto Networks, said the Philippines is not alone, as cyberattacks are intensifying worldwide, especially those backed by nation-states seeking sensitive information.
“In this region, or in fact, across the world, we’re seeing nation0state cyber criminals targeting governments because of the data and the information they have,” Quinn told a small group of reporters in Manila.
She noted that while vulnerabilities exist, the Philippine government is aware of the risks and is taking steps to address them.
“We would always say there’s more to be done, and I think the Philippine government recognizes that they need to do more around their cyber security posture,” she said, adding that this awareness is a positive sign.
Despite challenges, Quinn said the country is doing what it can with its current resources and capabilities.
“From an assessment point of view, I think you’re doing as much as you can do at the moment with the technology and the focus that you’ve got,” she said.
Recent data highlights the scale of the issue. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) reported around 20,000 exploited vulnerabilities, while the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) logged about 235 data breach incidents.
Quinn said these figures point to the “volume” of threats, underscoring the urgency of strengthening defenses.
Still, she emphasized that the government’s response is encouraging. Initiatives led by the DICT, along with programs from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), aim to improve cyber resilience among both public agencies and private companies.
“There are a number of efforts now being done by the SEC, by DICT to promote cyber security. So for me, that’s a positive indication of the government recognizing the gaps, but then acting on it,” Quinn said.