QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) will be partnering with Amazon, Google, Meta, and other big technology firms to combat cyber threats and foil any attempt to activate or deploy weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in the Philippines or use the country as an entry point or for transit of these weapons.
During the October 9 episode of Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon aired over PTV 4, NICA Deputy Director General for Cyber and Emerging Threats Francisco Ashley Acedillo said, “Napakalaking problema po ngayon ang cyber threats. Lahat ng mga bansa, kahit ang mga powerful, o superpower, o middle power tulad ng Pilipinas, lahat tayo ay apektado ng mga cyber threats at mga tinatawag na emerging threats.”
(Cyber threats are a big problem now. All countries, even the powerful ones, the superpower, or middle power like the Philippines, are all affected by cyber threats and emerging threats.)
Early this year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reorganized the NICA to beef up its intelligence gathering and analysis to ensure national security and promote national interest.
Under Executive Order (EO) 54 signed by the president, the Office of the Deputy Director General (ODDG) for Cyber and Emerging Threats is established under the NICA as the main component of the agency’s reorganization.
The ODDG is mandated by the EO to provide direction to the overall planning, supervision, and coordination of the NICA on counterintelligence and countermeasures against cybersecurity threats, weapons of mass destruction, and other emerging threats that are non-traditional in nature and have the potential to challenge traditional security approaches that may be unsuited in addressing them.
EO 54 states, “There is a need to reorganize the NICA to adapt to the evolving threats to national security and ensure a more vigorous intelligence collection, intensify internal and external coordination with foreign and domestic counterparts, and prepare intelligence and security assessments and estimates using data analytics to ensure national security and promote national interest.”
Acedillo added during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview, “Kabilang sa mga emerging threats ang weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) na kinabibilangan ng biological weapons, chemical weapons, nuclear weapons, at lahat ng nakaambang panganib dahil sa tinatawag nating new technologies tulad ng artificial intelligence o AI.”
(Emerging threats include weapons of mass destruction [WMDs], which are composed of biological weapons, chemical weapons, and nuclear weapons, and all other threats because of the new technologies such as artificial intelligence.)
“Ang pinakasikat sa AI platforms ngayon ay yung ChatGPT. Ang ChatGPT ay ginagamit sa maayos na paraan, para sa mga estudyante, para sa mga negosyo, at sa lahat ng mga gustong magkaroon ng AI-enabled platforms. Subalit itong mga terorista at mga criminal groups ay kaya ring gamitin itong ChatGPT. Pwedeng magtanong tungkol dyan yung masasamang elemento na kunwari ay kung paano gagamitin itong mga WMDs na ito,” Acedillo said.
(The most popular AI platform now is the ChatGPT. This ChatGPT is being used in appropriate applications, for students, for companies, and for all that want AI-enabled platforms. However, terrorists and other criminal groups can also utilize ChatGPT. They can ask how these WMDs are used.}
He said cutting-edge technologies that can deal with this concern are now with big technology companies such as Amazon, Google, and Meta.
“Itong mga companies na ito, sila ang may hawak ngayon ng pinaka-advanced na AI platforms. Ang kailangan po natin is to work with them, magkaroon tayo ng isang regulatory mechanism, na pangangasiwaan ng regulatory body, para masigurado na yung pumapasok na mga AI technologies dito sa ating bansa ay mayroong kaukulang safeguards,” Acedillo said.
(These companies have the most advanced AI platforms. What we need is to work with them and have a regulatory mechanism, administered by a regulatory body, to ensure that all AI technologies that enter our country have the necessary safeguards.)
“Mahalaga ang role ng NICA, kasi sa anumang pag-defend ng cyber security ay kailangan ng tinatawag na cyber threat intelligence. Ito po yung mga kaalaman sa paglaban sa mga makabagong pamamaraan tungkol sa kung paano ang pagpinsala sa internet at mga computers. Itong mga impormasyon na ito ay ibinibigay natin sa ating Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) at sa iba pang ahensya para kung paano sila magresponde, at magpalakas ng tinatawag nating cyber defense. So they will be able to predict and be able to protect our cyber security,” Acedillo added.
(The role of NICA is important. Because in the defense of cyber security, we need cyber threat intelligence. This pertains to information in combatting new technologies that are being used to attack the internet and computers. We give these pieces of information to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and other agencies to help them come up with the best way to respond and strengthen our cyber defense. So they will be able to predict and be able to protect our cyber security.) (PIA DMD)
