The Cebu Provincial Government is stepping up efforts to strengthen cybersecurity as it moves more public services and government transactions to digital platforms.
The initiative aims to protect sensitive information stored and processed through government systems while ensuring that personnel are prepared to recognize and respond to cyber threats.
Acting Gov. Stanley Caminero emphasized the importance of public awareness and responsible technology use during a cybersecurity summit at the Capitol Social Hall on Oct. 30.
He said technology can provide benefits but also expose users to risks when they lack the knowledge and preparation to use it safely.
While human users are often considered the weakest link in cybersecurity, Caminero said they can also become the first line of defense against cyberattacks.
“This is the reason why the administration of Governor Pamela Baricuatro is very determined to make sure that the executive and the legislative branches have one and shared goal, which is to make sure that digitalization is being pushed in the frontline of awareness and preparedness,” Caminero said.
He added that government personnel must keep up with technological developments to identify vulnerabilities and address emerging security challenges.
The summit brought together representatives from provincial offices, Capitol-operated hospitals and local government units across Cebu to discuss ways to secure government information systems.
Among the attendees were Provincial Board Member Malcolm Sanchez, chairperson of the board’s Committee on Information and Communications Technology, and Department of Information and Communications Technology Regional Director Frederick Amores.
Capitol head of digitalization Paulo Uy said cybersecurity must be integrated into the province’s digitalization efforts, which seek to improve public service delivery and government efficiency.
Uy said Baricuatro wants government operations to become more data-driven, allowing officials to make decisions and implement programs using reliable and updated information.
He stressed the need to coordinate digitalization initiatives across provincial offices to ensure that systems and information are connected.
“Importante gyod nga ma-loop in nato ang tibuok digitalization roadmap nato because that is the only way that you can really have a regular, updated and on-time information,” Uy said.
The provincial government has already moved several transactions online, including the payment of government dues through mobile applications such as GCash and Maya.
Its real property tax system has also been digitized, allowing taxpayers to settle their obligations online instead of relying solely on traditional payment procedures.
However, Uy said the expansion of online services also increases the responsibility of government offices to protect information, particularly records containing sensitive government and public data.
“Importante kaayo nga ma-inculcate sa mind sa mga taw nga kinahanglan safety first ta in terms of information. Mao nang ato gyod gi-promote ang cyber security because this is the only way we can move forward by ensuring that data is protected all the time,” he said.
The cybersecurity initiative forms part of the provincial government’s broader digitalization program, as more transactions and records are made accessible through online systems.
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