AFP ready to tackle cyberspace threats amid talks on easing telco restrictions

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has expressed readiness to tackle threats in the cyberspace by enhancing its cyber defense capability.

“The threats we confront are no longer limited to physical incursions or territorial disputes. They have expanded beyond traditional battlefields into new and more complex arenas, such as cyberspace and the information environment,” AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner said in a message read during the ADR Stratbase Pilipinas Conference 2024.

He said the people are now dealing with adversaries that operate in domains far removed from physical confrontation.

“The rise of cyberattacks, information warfare, and disinformation campaigns are stark reminders that conflict has entered a new frontier in this digital age…Unlike conventional warfare, where we face a physical enemy, the threats in cyberspace are often invisible, insidious, and difficult to detect,” he added.

Because of this, he said the digital infrastructure must be protected, sensitive information be safeguarded, and integrity of the communications be ensured by building capabilities to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber attacks that could cripple critical information infrastructures.

“Cyber defense is not merely an adjunct to our traditional capabilities; it is a core component of our new defense concept,” said Brawner.

He also said that the AFP is committed to expanding its security mandate from the current conventional territorial defense to encompass cyber defense as an integral  part of “our new comprehensive archipelagic defense concept, or galaxy, to secure our sovereignty in today’s interconnected world.”

Advocacy network CitizenWatch Philippines and think tank Stratbase have expressed concern that the proposed Konektadong Pinoy Act or Senate Bill 2699 could potentially open the Philippines telco space to foreign hackers.

They said SB 2699 seeks to eliminate the need for a congressional franchise for telecommunication companies, which "diminishes" the regulatory powers of the National Telecommunication Commission into mere oversight.

"The Konektadong Pinoy Act proposes to reduce the NTC’s role to that of a mere registrar, stripped of its oversight functions. If the NTC’s role is diminished, consumers may find themselves with little recourse when faced with poor service or unfair practices," CitizenWatch lead convenor Orlando Oxales said.

“A worse, more alarming scenario could also emerge. These may open opportunities for cybercrime syndicates to infiltrate and cause harm to our individual and enterprise consumers in both the government and private sectors,” he added.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, proponent of the bill, earlier said the proposed measure was a "landmark bill" that would pave the way for reliable, affordable, accessible internet connection across the country.

"I really feel that this is an opportunity to comprehensively approach this and once magawa natin to, we will in a year, two, or three years see the difference of having reliable, affordable, accessible internet connection in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao," he added.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is pushing for the passage of the measure which, it said, will provide open access and transparency in the country’s data transmission sector.—Mariel Celine Serquiña/AOL, GMA Integrated News