Marcos Jr. backs AFP efforts vs cyber security threats

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has assured the military of his continued support for stepped up efforts to combat cyber security threats.

The President gave the assurance yesterday to the Armed Forces of the Philippines during his mid-year command conference with AFP officials led by Gen. Romeo Brawner at Camp Aguinaldo.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines received a moral boost from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as he lauded its men and women for their gallantry in fighting the local insurgency and defending the national territory,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.

“He (Marcos) vowed to continue supporting the AFP especially in its bid to adapt to new tactics against cybersecurity threats, which has become crucial in protecting Filipinos from external and internal threats,” the PCO added.

During the Army’s 127th founding anniversary celebration in Tarlac last March, Marcos cited the need for the military to boost its cybersecurity capabilities and to adopt new
 technologies through increased collaboration among the major services and with the country’s foreign defense counterparts.

“Our ability to counter cyber threats is also of great importance. Given this emerging threat, I urge the Philippine Army to bolster its cybersecurity capabilities to keep up with the rapid technological advancements and help maintain the country’s security and stability,” Marcos said in a speech delivered by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.

At the command conference, several military unit commanders gave their assessment on current situations particularly the status of both internal and external security threats facing the country.

Marcos, who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, attended the command conference to get insights on the progress of campaigns and programs for the first semester and to provide directives to the top brass halfway through 2024.

The conference led by Brawner included top military officers from the General Headquarters, AFP-wide Support and Separate Units, Major Services and Unified Commands, as well as commanders from the army, air force and naval units.

At the conference, ground commanders