THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it hopes to bid out by September the contract for the National Cybersecurity Plan (NCSP).
The DICT is seeking to sign up an initial batch of government agencies this year for the national cyber intelligence platform, which is a component of the plan.
“All agencies must be on board… provided bidding takes place by end of September,” DICT Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity Allan S. Cabanlong said in an interview on the sidelines of an event hosted by the Australian Embassy on May 22.
DICT Acting Secretary Eliseo M Rio, Jr. has said that the concession holder will oversee the NCSP for up to four years before the DICT takes over. He said the DICT currently lacks the manpower and equipment to implement the program. Mr. Rio cited interest in the contract from around 60 companies.
Mr. Cabanlong said the first batch or priority agencies include the Departments of Finance (DoF), Budget and Management, and Foreign Affairs; the National Security Council, and the Office of the President, among others.
The DICT, through the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC), will institutionalize the adoption and implementation of information security governance and risk management approaches based on global standards as part of the NCSP 2022.
The department will also establish the National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT), which will enable the government to quickly deal with cyberattacks.
The primary goals of the five-year plan are: to assure the continuous operation of critical infostructure, public and military networks; implementing cyber resiliency measures to enhance the ability to respond to threats before, during and after attacks; effective coordination with law enforcement agencies; and creating a cybersecurity-educated society. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

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