By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Win Gatchalian is encouraging beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino scheme (4Ps) to enroll in the government’s lifeline electricity rate program to avail themselves of savings on their electricity costs.
“This is a Christmas gift for our fellow citizens who are genuinely struggling in life. The government will extend the electricity subsidy in January 2024,” Gatchalian stated.
As the principal author of Republic Act 11552, also known as the “Act Extending and Enhancing the Implementation of the Lifeline Rate,” Gatchalian emphasized the importance of the subsidy for households facing financial challenges.
To qualify for the subsidy, Gatchalian explained that beneficiaries must not exceed 100 kilowatt-hours of electricity consumption per month. The program encompasses households unable to meet their electricity bills, including 4Ps beneficiaries and customers living below the poverty threshold defined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“We advocated for this measure to ensure a broader reach of the subsidy program,” the senator affirmed.
Gatchalian also stressed the need for the government to intensify efforts in enlisting deserving households for the subsidy program. He emphasized the importance of a streamlined enrollment process that is both convenient and prompt. Additionally, he called for an enhanced information and dissemination campaign to reach as many beneficiaries as possible.
(IAmigo/MNM)
AMID the unresolved hacking incident at the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has urged both government agencies and private sector entities to bolster their cybersecurity defenses.
Gatchalian emphasized the critical need for safeguarding vital information infrastructure and called for compliance with international cybersecurity standards and best practices.
To address these concerns, Gatchalian has introduced Senate Bill 2066, also known as the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Act.
This legislation mandates all covered critical information institutions (CII) to implement robust measures safeguarding their information and communications technology (ICT) systems.
It also requires the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to establish and update information security standards, with CII institutions obligated to adhere to these standards.
Additionally, the National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) will be designated as the central authority for computer emergency response teams in the country.
The NCERT will administer a centralized information security incident reporting mechanism that spans various industries, including banking, finance, broadcast media, emergency services, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, and transportation, among others.
Experts have expressed concern about the scale of the PhilHealth data breach. Winthrop Yu, chair emeritus of the Internet Society’s Philippine Chapter, noted that cyber attackers had already released a significant amount of data, raising questions about the breach’s extent. Customized cybersecurity solutions and increased employee training in cyber hygiene are recommended, as off-the-shelf solutions may not suffice.
Lito Averia, president of the Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team, emphasized the importance of proper training and awareness among employees to recognize and thwart cyber threats. He also suggested implementing technical measures like network segmentation and regular data backups to prevent large-scale data breaches.
Gatchalian stressed the growing reliance on digital technologies in the Philippines, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Filipinos are increasingly using digital services, and the e-commerce sector is experiencing significant growth. With this increased digital activity, Gatchalian highlighted the heightened risk posed by cyber threats, ranging from casual scammers to sophisticated state-sponsored actors who target ICT systems and networks for various malicious purposes. (ai/mnm)