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AI-driven cybersecurity: a game changer for organizations in the Philippines

FREEPIK

By Peerapong Jongvibool

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION has unlocked significant opportunities for Philippine organizations to enhance customer experiences, optimize operations, and boost revenue growth. However, this progress also brings substantial cybersecurity risks.

A recent report by the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform (AIBP) in partnership with Fortinet titled “Cybersecurity in the Philippines” highlights these concerns. Among surveyed Philippine organizations, 45% identified cybersecurity and privacy concerns as top challenges associated with their digital transformation efforts.

As companies embrace the digital future, they face an increasingly complex threat landscape marked by more sophisticated and frequent cyberattacks. This reality has prompted many organizations to recalibrate their cybersecurity strategies and adopt measures to mitigate risks effectively.

While organizations deploy various security tools to safeguard their systems, the report revealed that Philippine organizations tend to rely heavily on best-of-breed (BOB) solutions rather than integrated platforms for their cybersecurity needs, as 65% of respondents noted. These solutions are primarily deployed for malware detection (83%), vulnerability management (75%), incident response (63%), threat intelligence (58%), and network monitoring (48%).

To effectively navigate the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, organizations need a unified platform approach. Relying on multiple point solutions can hinder efficiency, as managing disparate security stacks, vendors, and siloed products often results in fragmented policies and isolated consoles. By adopting an integrated cybersecurity platform, organizations can streamline operations, improve visibility, and enable faster threat detection and response. This makes the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity even more critical, as it enhances the ability to identify and mitigate threats swiftly and effectively.

TRANSFORMING CYBERSECURITY WITH AI
Organizations in the Philippines recognize the need to strengthen their cybersecurity strategies. According to the report, three key priorities have emerged: reducing incidents through effective prevention (35%), increasing the speed of threat detection (27%), and enhancing authentication processes (17%). This is where AI emerges as a game changer.

By leveraging AI, organizations can harness intelligent algorithms and advanced machine learning models to process and analyze massive volumes of structured and unstructured data in real time. AI identifies patterns and anomalies that may signal an imminent threat, providing actionable insights at speeds and scales beyond human capability. For example, AI-powered solutions can correlate disparate data points across networks, detect zero-day vulnerabilities, and automate repetitive processes like alert prioritization and patch management. This enables security teams to focus on strategic, high-value activities, improving both the speed and effectiveness of threat detection and response.

Additionally, AI enhances authentication processes through advanced techniques like behavioral biometrics and continuous identity verification, reducing reliance on traditional static passwords. It empowers organizations to adopt a proactive cybersecurity posture, ensuring they can stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyber adversaries. By integrating AI into a unified platform approach, organizations in the Philippines can achieve greater operational efficiency and a more robust defense against evolving cyber threats.

AI also continuously evolves, learning from new data to enhance its ability to recognize and combat emerging threats. This adaptability is vital as cyberattacks grow more sophisticated. Additionally, automating cybersecurity processes with AI alleviates the strain on human resources, addressing the ongoing talent gap — a top challenge cited by 41% of surveyed cybersecurity leaders and senior IT executives in the Philippines.

With the advantages of AI, more than 75% of surveyed companies indicated plans to incorporate it into their cybersecurity operations within the next six to 12 months, reflecting its crucial role in empowering organizations to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats.

THE INCREASING SHIFT TO AI-POWERED CYBERSECURITY TOOLS
As discussions about the transformative potential of AI in cybersecurity grow, some Philippine organizations have begun implementing AI-driven security solutions to secure their digital transformations. For example, almost 30% of surveyed organizations have adopted Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), while 50% are considering its implementation.

SASE is a cloud-based approach that combines key networking and security functions into one unified solution. By bringing together tools like secure internet access, cloud security, and advanced firewalls, along with secure access for remote users and devices, SASE ensures seamless protection for organizations’ data and systems, no matter where they are accessed. This approach gives businesses the flexibility and scalability to keep pace with the fast-changing needs of digital transformation.

When enhanced with AI, such as through solutions like FortiSASE, SASE provides consistent, AI-powered protection for both on-premises and remote users. This reduces configuration complexity while delivering robust security and threat mitigation.

Organizations that have adopted SASE in the Philippines highlighted its ability to provide enhanced security and threat protection as the key factors for implementation. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, tools like SASE, powered by AI, are becoming indispensable for safeguarding digital ecosystems.

With cybercriminals advancing their tactics and even leveraging AI to scale and enhance attacks, traditional security measures are increasingly becoming insufficient. Reactive approaches can no longer keep pace with the speed and sophistication of modern threats.

To stay ahead, organizations must embrace AI-driven security strategies. These tools are no longer optional but are critical for ensuring faster detection and response to threats, enabling organizations to remain resilient in the face of growing cybersecurity challenges.

 

Peerapong Jongvibool is the senior sirector of Fortinet Southeast Asia.

Sun Life Philippines offers its tech funds to holders of dollar-denominated plans

SUN LIFE of Canada (Philippines), Inc. (Sun Life Philippines) has made its Global Tech Funds available as options for its dollar-denominated investment-linked insurance plans.

“With the Global Tech Funds, clients can upgrade their financial portfolio and build an additional income stream by harnessing the growth potential of the global technology sector. By providing clients with the opportunity to capitalize on the sector’s explosive growth, we aim to empower their goals for the future,” Sun Life Philippines Chief Client Experience and Marketing Officer Carla Gonzalez-Chong said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The fund, which comes in two variants, can now be added to the insurer’s Sun FlexiDollar, Sun FlexiDollar1, and Sun MaxiLink Dollar One plans.

The two variants are the Global Tech Growth Fund, which accumulates earnings generated over time, and the Global Tech Payout Fund, which aims to generate consistent and quarterly cash flows with a potential annual payout of 7% of the fund value.

The Global Tech Funds are initially invested in a US dollar-denominated target fund that tracks the NASDAQ-100 Index. This includes top 100 US and international nonfinancial securities of industries such as hardware and software, telecommunications, retail and wholesale trade, and biotechnology.

Sun Life Philippines this will let dollar-denominated policy holders leverage on the strong profits and rising stock prices of major tech firms.

“The stock prices of major tech firms have soared and consistently outperform other industries, reflecting investor confidence and the sector’s resilience even in times of economic uncertainty… Market trends indicate that this growth trajectory is set to continue as the world becomes more digital and interconnected. With this, investing in the technology sector now offers several advantages, including ample opportunities for high returns,” it said.

Sun Life Philippines booked a premium income of P55.79 billion last year, ranking first in the industry, data from the Insurance Commission showed. Its net income was at P8.8 billion. — A.M.C. Sy

Accounting for reputation

BEYOND the lifestyle pages of media, corporate chiefs have a distinct reputation. Does this association with a certain lifestyle, personality (he’s very aloof), and management approach carry any corporate weight?

While reputation has no formal entry in the balance sheet of a corporation, it still needs to be viewed as an asset or liability. It affects the market value of a corporation. The care and protection needed to nurture a company’s character and status are thus open to “reputational risk.”

Researchers and investment analysts pay attention to the track record and reputation of the principals behind listed companies. With the media coverage of business players now at par with their political and entertainment counterparts, reputation has figured in the valuation of the company. Online chat groups have been actively reporting on incidences like finding a cockroach inside a bakery product.

Some positives enhance reputation. These include a track record like increasing the market cap of the stock through efficiencies, a strong management line-up, clear strategy, or an aggressive cash dividend policy. A character discount may arise from unkept promises on an acquisition, weak second-tier management, lack of a transparent succession plan, or a luxurious personal lifestyle charged to the company.

The structure of Philippine business can be characterized as a concentration of a few names or families controlling large conglomerates in varied fields like banking, property development, utilities, and even food chains. A failure of one company in a particular group can be like the falling domino raising the risk factor for the whole group. This introduces the concept of “reputational risk.”

When reputation turns sour as in the high-flying lifestyle of the principal or the failure to meet loan amortization schedules and the need to float high-yield bonds for “refinancing,” then reputation becomes a factor in evaluating the value of a company or group.

The importance of reputation has only been highlighted by 24-hour news cycles online and the rise of social media. Business is now covered by tabloid-type of reporting, spotlighting personalities with scandalous behavior or sudden resignations “for health reasons.”

In business, reputation has become an intangible asset (or liability) even when it is not formally reflected in the financial statement. Although in acquisitions, this matter of character is sometimes tucked under the general item like “goodwill.”

The value of an actively traded stock is posted daily with its price fluctuations determined by financial metrics as well as reputation. The latter can sometimes figure even larger in the valuation than the level of capital expenditure.

Branding has become a marketing effort. TV interviews are arranged to show the reputational side of a tycoon. Celebrity endorsers lend their own good name and popularity to a product or company. Philanthropy too has become more focused on certain advocacies like education, sports, or the arts.

The effect of status on price is more evident in products with a high emotional and discriminatory content such as art. Certain buyers in an art auction bid high for an artwork to expand their collection of a particular artist enjoying high brand recognition. Art has become a good example for the market value of reputation. The only lookout involves provenance and authenticity, especially when the artist has passed away.

In local business with its small and well-connected grapevine, reputation cannot be ignored. Stocks are associated with their principals and lumped together as the “ABC” group, with that combination of letters representing a patriarch or his family. Rumors of the takeover of a sleepy company by a particular character is enough to lift a dormant stock into the stratosphere or fall back in a hard landing when nothing seems to be going on — we are still finalizing the closing terms of the merger.

Ours is a business culture dominated by high-profile personalities. Sometimes, these same characters cross the line to politics and raise their profiles even higher. Buying shares of a company is a declaration of faith not just on its past financial performance but on the reputation of its leadership. Such perceptions are not static. They swing with a company’s fortune and the scrutiny of regulators and political players.

Reputation indeed has market value. Names associated with quality and reliability through the years enjoy premium pricing from consumers and clients. When a new company is launched, the first question asked is — who’s behind it?

 

Tony Samson is chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda

ar.samson@yahoo.com

Portraits by Edvard Munch go on show in new London exhibition

Käte and Hugo Perls, 1913 by Edvard Munch © Foto Munchmuseet / Ove Kvavik/NPG.ORG.UK

LONDON — A new exhibition of portraits by Edvard Munch opens in London this week, shining a light on an important aspect of the Norwegian painter’s work and his life.

Edvard Munch Portraits, running at London’s National Portrait Gallery on March 13 to June 15, features some 45 of his works, including depictions of himself, his family, friends, collectors as well as commissions.

“It shows Munch as being a more social person than is often assumed. It takes us beyond The Scream. It takes us beyond Munch as the painter of existential isolation and loneliness,” exhibition curator Alison Smith told Reuters.

“It shows him as a man who was very connected with the artistic and intellectual currents of his time, but a man also who sought the protection of people who were active in the areas of law, business, and medicine,” she added, noting the latter provided a stabilizing influence for Munch who struggled with mental and physical health issues throughout his life.

The exhibition is the first of its kind in Britain to focus on Munch’s portraits and many works, including his 1892 painting of lawyer Thor Lutken, are on show in the country for the first time.

“It’s quite a monochromatic portrait… but if you look very closely, you can see how the sleeve merges into this sort of blue, black moonlit landscape, which is inhabited by two mysterious figures,” Ms. Smith said.

The exhibition begins with Munch’s early family portraits. There are then portraits of fellow artists as well as Munch’s patrons and collectors. Munch died in 1944, aged 80.

“Munch painted hundreds of portraits in the course of his long career and they were really fundamental to his practice because in Munch’s art, he always wanted to get beyond surface appearance to probe the inner psychology or motivations of an individual,” Ms. Smith said.

“So the portraits work on two fronts. On the one hand, they are representations of a particular sitter at a given moment in time, but also they offer insight into their inner world.” — Reuters

Cebu Landmasters secures spot in ATRAM SDG Fund

FACEBOOK.COM/OFFICIALCEBULANDMASTERS

LISTED property developer Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI) has secured a spot in the P300-million ATR Asset Management Philippine Sustainable Development Growth Fund (ATRAM SDG Fund), which recognizes companies for their sustainability initiatives.

The ATRAM-managed fund consists of the top 20 listed companies demonstrating strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance while maintaining financial growth, CLI said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday.

The ATRAM SDG Fund is the third best-performing equity fund in the Philippines, with a year-to-date return of 18% as of December 2024.

“Our inclusion in the ATRAM SDG Fund strengthens our resolve to scale up our sustainability efforts. This recognition comes at a pivotal time as we prepare for the upcoming listing of our P5-billion sustainability-linked bond — another testament to our unwavering commitment to sustainability,” CLI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jose R. Soberano III said.

“The increasing interest from investors in companies that embody sustainability further motivates us to embed these tenets into every aspect of our business,” he added.

On Monday, CLI began the offer period for its P5-billion sustainability-linked bond issuance, which will run until March 14. The bonds are set to be listed on the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. by March 21.

The issuance consists of a base offer of up to P3 billion, with an oversubscription option of up to P2 billion. It includes Series D three-year bonds at 6.6348% per annum and Series E five-year bonds at 6.9157% per annum.

This marks the second tranche of CLI’s P15-billion shelf-registered debt securities program. The first tranche was listed in October 2022.

“This capital raise provides investors an opportunity to support CLI in its mission to contribute to nation-building and the UN Sustainable Development Goals while driving long-term growth in the VisMin real estate sector,” CLI said.

On Wednesday, CLI shares closed unchanged at P2.65 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave 

Anker launches latest Prime charging hubs

ANKER INNOVATIONS

ANKER INNOVATIONS has launched its latest line of multi-port Prime chargers in the Philippines.

The brand’s 250W Prime charger is priced at P10,495, while the more compact 200W charger costs P4,995.

“The way we work and live has changed. Our desks are no longer just workspaces; they’re also hubs for creativity and maximum productivity. As people use more devices and require more power, traditional chargers with their slow speeds, limited ports, and inefficient power distribution are simply no longer enough. No one wants a workspace with tangled cables and lots of clutter either,” Anker said. “With multiple devices used for work, multi-port chargers offer a solution that can save time, space, and energy.”

“Anker Prime chargers are designed to fit effortlessly into sleek, high-performance work environments. They combine power, efficiency and smart features to support users of multiple devices without compromise.”

Both charging hubs are equipped with GaNPrime technology to ensure efficient power delivery for all connected devices.

“The advanced safety technology also ensures that your devices are protected from overheating and power surges,” it said.

The 250W Anker Prime charger has six ports, made up of four USB-C ports and two USB-A ports. Its PD3.1-enabled USB-C port supports up to 140W max output.

It has a 2.26-inch LCD that lets users to monitor real-time power distribution. Its twist button control allows for port prioritization and power mode selection when charging multiple devices.

“It even includes a remote-control function via the Anker app, allowing you to control the charging process from wherever you are. With OTA firmware updates, your charger is always up to date with continuous improvements and new features,” the brand said.

“The Anker Prime Charger also visually enhances your workspace with a sleek digital clock display with customizable themes for added personalization.”

Meanwhile, the 200W Anker Prime charger can also charge up to six devices at a time via its four USB-C ports and two USB-A ports. It features Anker’s PowerIQ 3.0 technology, as well as MultiProtect safety features and ActiveShield 3.0 technology.

“It provides fast, uninterrupted charging and ensures your workflow runs smoothly and efficiently, and its GaNPrime technology allows it to charge at maximum power while only producing menial heat, keeping charging speed at an industry-leading level,” Anker said.

Anker Prime chargers are available via the brand’s website at anker.ph and its official Lazada, Shopee and TikTok stores. — Bettina V. Roc

Bank of Japan signals resolve to keep hiking rates

THE JAPANESE national flag is hoisted atop the headquarters of Bank of Japan in Tokyo, Japan Sept. 20, 2023. — REUTERS

TOKYO — Bank of Japan (BoJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda on Wednesday took in stride recent rises in bond yields, saying they were a natural reflection of market expectations of future interest rate hikes by the central bank.

The remarks underscore the BoJ’s resolve to keep raising short-term interest rates, and to allow markets to freely price in the chance of further hikes in borrowing costs.

While long-term interest rates have risen since last year, their moves should primarily be determined by market forces, Mr. Ueda told parliament.

“Long-term interest rates move on various factors. But the biggest determinant is the market’s forecast on the outlook for our short-term policy rate,” Mr. Ueda told parliament on Wednesday.

“It’s natural for long-term rates to move in a way that reflects such market forecasts,” he said.

There was no big divergence between the BoJ’s view and that of markets, he added, when asked about the recent steady rise in bond yields.

Markets have been focusing on whether the BoJ would issue a fresh warning after Japanese government bond (JGB) yields rose to their highest levels in more than a decade this week.

Mr. Ueda’s remarks highlight the central bank’s intention to phase out its presence from the bond market and convince investors that having ended its bond yield control policy last year, it will no longer step in to keep yields ultra-low.

In a speech last week, BoJ Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida said a healthy, functioning market requires traders to form their own view on the central bank’s rate path based on their projections on the economic outlook — signaling the bank’s preference to allow market forces to determine yield moves.

The benchmark 10-year yield hit a 16-year high of 1.575% on Monday, before sliding to 1.525% on Tuesday as investors sought safe-haven debt in the wake of sharp falls in US and Japanese stock prices. It stood at 1.53% on Wednesday.

GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY LOOMS
Among factors driving up JGB yields were growing expectations the BoJ could raise rates sooner than initially thought on prospects of sustained wage and price gains.

Japan’s wholesale inflation, which is a leading indicator of consumer price moves, hit 4% year on year in February. Many big companies on Wednesday met union demands for substantial wage hikes for a third consecutive year.

But the outlook for Japan’s export-reliant economy has been clouded by fears higher US tariffs could hurt global growth, which may prod the BoJ to go slow in raising rates.

Speaking at a separate parliament session later on Wednesday, Mr. Ueda said he was “very worried” about uncertainty surrounding overseas economic developments. “At present, underlying inflation remains below 2%,” he added.

The BoJ is widely expected to keep interest rates steady at 0.5% at its policy review later this month, though the board may discuss a hike as soon as in May with an eye on domestic inflation and market volatility, sources have told Reuters.

A majority of economists polled by Reuters expect the BoJ to hike rates again sometime during the third quarter.

The BoJ ended its huge monetary stimulus last year, including a policy capping long-term rates around zero, on the view Japan was on the cusp of durably hitting its 2% inflation target.

The central bank raised its short-term policy rate to 0.5% from 0.25% in January, and signaled readiness to keep hiking if wages continue to increase and support consumption. — Reuters

Philippines improves in Global Opportunity Index

The Philippines went up by 13 places to 78th out of 116 countries in the 2025 Global Opportunity Index by the nonprofit think tank Milken Institute. The index measures a country’s attractiveness to foreign investments. Despite its improvement in ranking, the Philippines still placed second-worst among its peers in the East and Southeast Asian region.

Philippines improves in Global Opportunity Index

How PSEi member stocks performed — March 12, 2025

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

Power outlook being reviewed following Luzon yellow alert

NATSUKI-UNSPLASH

THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said it met with the Department of Energy (DoE) to adjust the power outlook following the declaration of a yellow alert last week.

“We’re still in the process of assessing and adjusting (the forecast) after the sudden spike in temperature on March 5. So as soon as we have that revised projection, considering all the factors, we will get back to you,” NGCP Spokesperson Cynthia P. Alabanza said at a briefing on Wednesday.

Ms. Alabanza said that the company will also work with power generators and distribution utilities next week to arrive at possible solutions and contingency plans to avoid disruptions to the power supply.

On March 5, the NGCP raised a yellow alert over the Luzon grid as demand spiked with the hot weather, with capacity also stretched by forced outages in some power plants. Unavailable because of unplanned outages totaled 3,362 megawatts (MW).

“With NGCP’s implementation of rapid assessment on grid stability, optimization of remaining available power, and continuous real-time monitoring and coordination with affected plants, the power situation did not escalate into a red alert,” the grid operator said.

A yellow alert is issued when the power supply-demand balance falls below safety margins.

Peak demand for the year was recorded on March 6 at 12,467 MW, up 5% compared with the DoE-approved GOP (Grid Operating Program), which had forecast demand of 11,870 MW that day.

For 2025, the Department of Energy forecast peak demand of 14,769 MW for Luzon, 3,111 MW for the Visayas, and 2,789 MW for Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the NGCP cautioned the public that while power supply “seems sufficient on paper,” unplanned outages have been the primary cause of power interruptions.

“While NGCP has complied with the DoE directive on the procurement of ancillary services (AS) through competitive selection process and payment of AS procured through the AS Reserve Market, the unplanned outages cause all power dispatched through the transmission system to be used for energy consumption,” the grid operator said.

“The contingency and dispatchable ancillary services will have been depleted and already running and dispatched as ‘energy’ for use by the consumers, and no longer reserved for ancillary services, since the contingency for which they were procured has already occurred,” it added.

A shortfall in supply, should that occur, means that while all available generators are running, including those contracted by NGCP for AS, the existing supply is still insufficient to meet demand, the company said.

Ancillary services are tapped by grid operators to support the transmission of power from generators to consumers to maintain reliable operations. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Dual citizens to be eligible for tourist VAT refund program — draft IRR

DUAL CITIZENS will be allowed to avail of the value-added tax (VAT) refund for tourists if they enter the country using their foreign passport, according to draft implementing rules and regulations (IRR) released by the Department of Finance.

The IRR draft considers Filipinos with dual citizenship who use their foreign passport to enter the country as falling under the definition of “tourist.”

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12079, also known as “Act Creating a VAT Refund Mechanism for Non-Resident Tourists,” in December. The law allows tourists to claim VAT refunds on purchases worth at least P3,000 from government-accredited stores.

The law, as approved, holds that “sales to citizens and residents of the Philippines, and foreign nationals residing in the country, are not eligible for VAT refund.” 

The draft IRR deems “non-resident foreign passport holders who visit the Philippines” as tourists.

A public consultation on the IRR is scheduled for March 17.

The law follows the risk-based classification system for other VAT refund claims. It said claims deemed “high-risk” will require the presentation of the goods purchased for inspection and further validation by the Bureau of Customs. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Sugar order calls for export of 66,000 metric tons to US

THE sugar regulator issued an order calling for voluntary exports of 66,000 metric tons (MT) of raw sugar to the United States.

Sugar Order No. 5, issued on Wednesday, allows the Philippines to fulfill its obligations under the US Raw Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota World Trade Allocation, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said.

Participants in the export program will enjoy priority in future import programs.

Participants complying with the order will be allowed to import 2.5 kilograms of refined sugar for every kilogram of raw sugar exported to the US.

The Office of the US Trade Representative gave the Philippines a quota of 145,235 MT raw value of raw cane sugar to the Philippines for the year to September.

Potential participants have until March 30 to submit to the SRA a written and notarized undertaking stating the amount of sugar they plan to ship to the US.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis S. Azcona has said that the industry lobbied to export 66,000 MT of sugar instead of the initial 60,000 MT, to maximize the use of the cargo ship.

Segments of the local industry, including farmers, oppose sugar exports to the US because the US buys the commodity at a lower price.

“Sugar is bought by traders at US prices, which is about P1,000 less than domestic prices. That’s why farmers complained,” Mr. Azcona said last month, noting that the then-draft order incorporated the industry’s concerns. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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