Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to address the country’s cybersecurity as a national security concern to prevent cyber-attacks on major infrastructure.
Gatchalian emphasized the need for the government to ensure that the cybersecurity capabilities of critical infrastructure, such as the country’s electric transmission lines, airports, and water distribution systems, are thoroughly audited.
In the case of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), he pointed out the potential risk of compromising the country’s transmission backbone due to possible cyberattacks.
He highlighted the importance of securing the nation’s critical information infrastructures with adequate cybersecurity protections.
Gatchalian previously filed the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Act of 2022, aimed at establishing a more secure cyberspace and data protection regime aligned with international standards, ensuring the free flow of information.