Legarda urges public to be vigilant vs cybercrimes

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda reminded the public to remain vigilant against the ever-growing threat in cyberspace.

During the ‘Tech Talks’ in the Senate this afternoon, she urged attendees to the symposium, organized in coordination with tech giant Google, to be more prudent online.

“As we enjoy the benefits of technology and advancement, we must not forget the risks and threats,” said Legarda.

“With the discussions of today, I hope that you will all be equipped with the tools and skills to navigate the digital world responsibly,” she added.

The event was attended by scores of people eager to learn more about empowering technology to serve the country through the wonders of technology.

Among the topics discussed led by Bobby Khan, Head of Public Sector, Google Cloud Philippines and Steve Ledzian, Chief Technology Officer, Mandiant Asia Pacific and Japan, were the cloud, digital transformation, and cybersecurity.

Legarda noted that the three have served an integral role in the economy, which has affected national progress, and in turn, the Filipino people.

The four-term senator has long been at the forefront of utilizing technology as a tool to improve services in the country.

She is the principal author of Republic Act 10844, which established the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

“I want to make sure that our people get the best for their education, communication, and other relevant transactions to make their lives easier,” the veteran lawmaker remarked.

“We are also pushing for a digital literacy bill that will make sure that our nation is equipped with the proper tools in the digital realm,” she furthered.

In her home province of Antique, Legarda launched the e-Governance project and the activation of 150 WiFi sites through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, which connects some of the far-flung areas to the World Wide Web through the ‘Broad Band ng Masa’ project.

She also donated Starlink Internet units in several schools, where up to 150 users can connect simultaneously and enjoy the internet with download speeds up to 170.3 Mbps.

These schools are the Lacaron Integrated School in Sibalom, Sta. Ana National High School in Pandan, Eastern Laua-an National High School in Laua-an, Pangalcagan National High School in Bugasong, Flores Integrated School in Culasi, and General Fullon Elementary School in Hamtic.

In partnership with Google, the province of Antique, through the Antique Development Foundation, and partner organizations, 500 Google scholars will be able to learn project management, IT support, data analytics, and UX design.

Google is also now linking up with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for their flood forecasting project in Region 6. (End)