House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro expressed grave concern over the recent hacking and defacement of the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) website of the Department of Energy (DOE), emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures across all government agencies.
“This latest cybersecurity breach is deeply troubling, especially as we approach the midterm elections. It underscores the critical need for our government agencies to address vulnerabilities in their digital infrastructure immediately,” Rep. Castro stated.
The incident, which occurred on July 27, 2024, at approximately 6:00 PM, prompted the DOE to take the system offline and coordinate with the Philippine National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) and the system’s developer to address potential vulnerabilities.
Rep. Castro drew parallels to the recent PhilHealth hacking incident, where a substantial amount of personal and sensitive information was compromised. She expressed concerns about the potential vulnerability of other crucial databases, such as the SIM card registration and the National ID system.
“In light of these recurring incidents, we must ask: how secure are our other national databases? The recent PhilHealth breach and now this DOE incident should serve as a wake-up call for all government agencies to bolster their cyber defenses,” Rep. Castro emphasized.
The legislator called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to take immediate action in establishing comprehensive guidelines and minimum requirements for cyber defense across all government agencies and data repositories.
“The DICT must step up and lead the charge in fortifying our national cybersecurity infrastructure. We need robust, standardized protocols that can effectively mitigate the risk of hacking incidents and protect the sensitive information of millions of Filipinos,” Rep. Castro asserted.
She further stressed the importance of investing in secure systems to safeguard sensitive information and protect the privacy of Filipino citizens. “Our people’s right to privacy and data security should be paramount. We cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to protecting our national digital infrastructure and the personal information of our citizens,” Rep. Castro concluded.
The ACT Teachers representative vowed to push for legislative measures that would strengthen the country’s cybersecurity framework and ensure accountability in cases of data breaches and cyber attacks.
