TELECOMMUNICATIONS provider PLDT Inc. and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. reported stopping 16 billion cyberattacks last year as they sought to enhance customer experience.

In a weekend statement, PLDT noted that the blocked cyberattacks in 2023 were nearly 9,000% higher than the 182 million recorded in 2022.

“PLDT and Smart’s… cybersecurity culture has enabled us to fend off these attempts from breaching our network and assets,” PLDT, Smart, and ePLDT Chief Information Security Officer Angel T. Redoble said.

“Our cybersecurity agents undergo regular training. We upgrade our tools. And we engage partners who can help us secure our most important asset —our customers,” he added.

At the same time, he said that the Philippine government must oversee the country’s cybersecurity master plan to address escalating threats.

“We are in the middle of a cyberwar. We need to secure our country’s vital infrastructures like energy, telecoms, and financial services. If we talk about cyber resiliency, stakeholders — both private entities and government units — must collaborate. And we need the government to orchestrate our efforts,” Mr. Redoble said.

“Cyberattacks surge during holidays because that’s when people are distracted by the festivities. But for us, that’s when we are at the highest alert level. We’re not only protecting the company, but the entire Filipino people who rely on our services, especially in an increasingly digital landscape,” he added.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave