MANILA, Philippines – Mahalaga ang papel na ginagampanan ng mga opisyal ng militar at defense scholars sa pagdepensa ng Pilipinas laban sa lumalakas na cyberattacks at misinformation campaigns sa West Philippine Sea.
Ito ang binigyang-diin ni Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada sa kanyang pagsasalita sa harap ng newly-promoted general at flag officers ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sa isang event na hinost ng National Defense College of the Philippines Alumni Association Inc. (NDCPAAI).
Para kay Estrada, na kasalukuyang chairman ng Senate National Defense Committee, ang Pilipinas ay nababahala hindi lamang sa kamakailang agresibong maritime confrontations sa West Philippine Sea, kundi pati sa “equally distressing concerns” tulad ng cybersecurity threats.
“Other equally distressing concerns persist. These include cybersecurity threats, which expose the country to cyber-attacks that can disrupt critical services and compromise sensitive data,” pahayag ni Estrada sa kanyang talumpati.
Tinukoy ni Estrada ang isang executive policy brief ni NDCP Defense Research Officer II Christine Lisette Castillo, kung saan nakasaad na ang paghahabol sa sovereign rights ay nangangailangan ng “lahat ng instrumento ng national power, kabilang ang cyber capabilities.”
“In her paper, Castillo said ‘the growing tension between the Philippines and China is reflected in cyberspace, where cyber espionage, cyber attacks, and malign information operations are widespread,’” sabi ni Estrada.
“‘Certainly, cybersecurity has long been a part of national security, and its importance in relation to the West Philippine Sea has been established.’ I couldn’t agree more,” dagdag ng senador.
Dahil dito, pinapurihan ni Estrada ang NDCP sa pagganap ng “mahalagang papel sa training ng mga lider na responsable sa pangangalaga sa seguridad ng ating bansa,”
“The National Defense College of the Philippines greatly contributes to national defense and security not only through its education and research initiatives, but also through active policy advocacy and collaboration with diverse stakeholders,” Estrada said.
Dumalo sa NDCPAAI event ang newly promoted generals at flag officers ng lahat ng sangay ng AFP, partikular ang Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force at Philippine Marine Corps.