DICT: Additional cybersecurity measures in place at ASEAN 2026 media center

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The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Saturday said it was implementing additional security protocols at the 49th ASEAN Summit International Media Center (IMC) in Pasay City following reports of data breaches involving government agencies.

"Since we're putting additional security protocols, [I] would say it lessens the latency for the internet speed," DICT Secretary Robert Joseph de Claro told reporters.

"Considering the importance of the ASEAN for our country, we needed to take additional security measures to ensure that the data and everything is secured coming from the center," he added.

De Claro made the statement after relatively slow Wi-Fi speeds were observed at the IMC.

At least 10 government agencies submitted personal data breach notifications to the National Privacy Commission (NPC) on November 10.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) said it had identified those responsible for the data breach.

No specific threat

Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Lino Cayetano said authorities had not monitored any "specific threat" so far.

"There's no one specific threat, but it's really heightened alert and focus on making sure that we do a proper assessment and evaluation [s]o there are no breaches," Cayetano said.

He added that additional security protocols would be installed within the day.

"There's no identified threat today. But we are preparing that it might be AI-driven. So, with that, we need to put additional protocols," Cayetano said.

De Claro also criticized protesters whom he accused of "attacking the government," calling them "anti-people."

"The government is supposed to provide services to the people. And if you try to attack the institutions that are supposed to provide the service, whether it's emergency or just regular service, then you're anti-people," De Claro said.

"We are in the democracy but there are also ways and means and a channel for you to lodge your complaints," he added. —VBL, GMA News