US cybersecurity firm Resecurity has reported a 325 percent jump in hacking and other digital intrusions targeting the Philippines during the first quarter of 2024, amid rising tensions with China, largely over disputed territory in the South China Sea.
That has prompted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to launch a cybersecurity strategy to beef up the nation’s cyberdefenses against attacks and digital crimes. However, industry analysts say such plans could struggle due to shortages of skilled “cyberwarriors” in the Philippines, which is estimated to need tens of thousands of digital security professionals.
“What the government doesn’t recognize is we’re having a brain drain not only in the healthcare sector, but also in cybersecurity,” said JM Cipriano, a cybersecurity professional. Despite a higher salary than other careers in information technology, he said Filipino cybersecurity experts are being lured abroad by companies offering more money, better working conditions, and relocation packages.
Globally, the shortage of cybersecurity professionals reached a record last year, with some 4 million vacancies around the world, according to cybersecurity nonprofit ISC2, with the gap growing fastest in developing countries.
In the Philippines, while part of the problem is migration, domestic shortages are also linked to inadequate training opportunities and policies to boost recruitment at a national level, experts say. Filipinos can study cybersecurity in only a handful of private universities with high tuitions, and are often encouraged to pursue certifications that cost around P15,000 to P20,000.
With cybersecurity threats and data breaches on the rise, government needs to take steps to boost recruitment. In January, it launched a new set of cybersecurity standards that schools and training centers can use. Under the new national cybersecurity strategy, there are plans for more specialist degrees and programs to upskill or retrain existing professionals.
Being no stranger to brain drains, one would expect the Philippine government to have a set of solutions ready. However, as our experience with healthcare workers has shown, familiarity with a problem doesn’t automatically mean that the officials responsible know how to deal with it or have learned their lessons from past mistakes. Hopefully, in the case of cybersecurity workers, we can do better when it comes to keeping necessary talent from leaving our shores, while at the same time upgrading the skills and competencies of those who opt to stay behind.*
