President creates new office vs cybersecurity threats

As the country faces “evolving threats,” President Marcos has reorganized the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) to make it more equipped and capable of dealing with new dangers to national security, including cybersecurity threats and weapons of mass destruction.

Marcos signed Executive Order 54 establishing the Office of the Deputy Director General (ODDG) for Cyber and Emerging Threats under the NICA.

The ODDG’s main task is to provide direction to NICA’s overall planning, supervision and coordination of counter-intelligence and counter-measures against cyber-security threats and weapons of mass destruction, among other emerging threats.

The office will be headed by a director general with the rank of assistant secretary to be appointed by the President.

“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,” the three-page EO read.

The order was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Jan. 19.

The funding requirements for the implementation of EO 54 would be charged against current and available appropriations for the NICA.

Thereafter, funding requirements would be included in the budget proposal of the NICA, subject to the usual budget preparation process.

NICA was created through EO 246 issued in 1987 to serve as the focal point for direction, coordination and integration of government activities involving national intelligence.

EO 54, published in the Official Gazette yesterday, takes effect immediately.

The reorganization of NICA comes as the country seeks closer security and defense cooperation with its allies, including the US and Japan.

The Philippines and the US commenced joint maritime and air patrols in the West Philippine Sea in November last year amid a string of risky maritime confrontations between Filipinos and Chinese.