May 22, 2016
The Bureau of Custom has invested $1.4 million in a comprehensive cybersecurity program that will protect the government’s second largest tax agency from cybercriminal activities.
Customs Commissioner Alberto D. Lina said they partnered with Microsoft Philippines to implement reforms in the agency’s information and communications technology and establish the highest data integrity assurance levels.
Lina said Customs is the first government agency to implement a comprehensive cybersecurity program in less than year.
Earlier, several government institutions, including the Commission on Elections’ controversial “comeleak,” were targeted by cybercriminals that drastically affected public trust.
In partnership with Microsoft, Customs is spearheading cybersecurity advances with other government agencies aimed at increasing administration productivity, data security, and transparency.
Lina said Customs inter-operates with no less than 60 trade regulatory agencies whose risks exponentially increases with the number of interconnections, data or files shared among agencies.