House Appropriations Committee Chairman Elizaldy Co (Photo courtesy of House Press and Public Affairs Bureau)
MANILA – The chairperson of the House appropriations committee on Monday vowed to look for funding sources to boost the capacity of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to combat cybercrime and ransomware attacks.
In a statement, AKO BICOL Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co said they will coordinate with the Senate and the Department of Budget and Management to secure additional funds for the DICT and government agencies being targeted and vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Co said the possible funding source could come from the unprogrammed funds of the 2023 national budget.
"We will work with our colleagues in the Senate to look for more sources of funds for the Department of Information and Communication Technology. We recognize the dire need for the DICT for resources to fight cybercrime and ransomware attacks," he said.
Co made the commitment after the website of the House of Representatives was breached and defaced on Sunday, which is the latest cybersecurity incident involving a government institution.
Other government agencies that suffered cybersecurity breaches were the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Bohol Rep. Alexie Tutor, meanwhile, said it may be necessary to bring in experts from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighboring countries, as well as from the United States and Japan, to help with the situation given the limited DICT personnel and budget.
"DOJ (Department of Justice) and DICT would have to make the decision on that. It would be their judgment call and prerogative. Our country does have international bilateral and multilateral anti-crime agreements and arrangements which could be activated," Tutor said.
Tutor said the DICT might also want to consult with the Department of Finance on funding because the World Bank recently approved a USD600-million loan to the Philippines specifically on digital and information technology.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco earlier confirmed that the official website of the House of Representatives has experienced “unauthorized access.”
“Immediate steps have been taken to address the issue,” Velasco said in a statement.
He said the House is working closely with the DICT, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and law enforcement agencies “to investigate the matter.”
Velasco called on everybody’s patience and understanding as he committed to ensure the security and integrity of the House’s digital platforms.
He also gave assurance that additional measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future. (PNA)
