Google backs BBM’s digitalization pitch

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants the public and private sectors to collaborate to advance the digitization agenda in the Philippines.

During the question-and-answer segment of the “World Economic Forum” in Malacañang earlier this week, Marcos said he wants to fortify critical infrastructure against cyber attacks while improving internet connectivity.

“We are still at the level where we are worried about connectivity, and we are working very hard because being an island nation becomes a real factor, a real challenge,” the President said.

“We conducted a survey on consumers’ habits when it comes to using the internet, and we got back statistics that were really rather worrisome. That was that 95 percent of an ordinary Filipino citizen’s activities in terms of payment, for example, clearances and all that, 95 percent of the activity is over the internet. The last five percent was the government, and that’s why we still are falling behind,” he said.

He averred that with the assistance of various organizations, the government is making strides in narrowing the gap, establishing fiber optic networks, and setting up data centers.

Marcos also conveyed hope regarding initiatives to create a cloud platform tailored to the Philippines, focusing on enhancing cybersecurity measures.

He characterized the cybersecurity threat as a downside of technological advancement, emphasizing its severity and the government’s proactive response to address it.

“We have many instances of scams and hacking. In terms of actual security, we have also fallen victim to many of these nefarious activities,” Marcos said.