'PH making big leap in cybersecurity'

(UPDATE) THE Philippines has made an impressive leap in the 2024 United Nations Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), moving up to 53rd from 61st in 2020, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said. The department said the remarkable achievement shows the country's significant progress in securing its cyberspace, bringing it closer to becoming a global leader in cybersecurity. Released on Sept. 12, 2024, the report showed that the Philippines' cybersecurity score rose to 93.49 points from 77 points in 2020. This puts the Philippines just 1.51 points away from joining Tier 1, which includes the world's best in cybersecurity laws, technology, organizations, training and international cooperation. The DICT said the Philippines' jump from Tier 3 (Evolving) to Tier 2 (Advancing) highlights the country's marked improvements in key areas such as providing technical skills, collaborating with other countries, organizing our cybersecurity efforts, and building our capacity to fight cyberthreats. "This is a huge achievement for the Philippines. It shows that our hard work to protect Filipinos online is bearing fruit, but we are not stopping here. We are on the brink of being a global leader in cybersecurity, and we will continue working to safeguard our digital world," DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said. Much of this progress was attributed to the government's focus on strengthening cybersecurity through the National Cybersecurity Plan (NCSP) 2023-2028, which was formulated by the DICT. In April 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order 58 mandating all government agencies to adopt the NCSP 2023-2028, ensuring the country is better protected against cyberattacks and online threats.