Philippines Advances Regional Cyber Cooperation at the 7th ASEAN Regional Forum Inter-Sessional Meeting and 15th ASEAN Regional Forum OESG on ICTs Security in Manila
MANILA 28 March 2025 — The 7th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Inter-Sessional Meeting on Security of and in the Use of ICTs (ISM on ICTs Security) and the 15th ARF Open-Ended Study Group on Confidence Building Measures to Reduce the Risk of Conflict Stemming from the Use of ICTs (OESG) was held in hybrid format in Manila, Philippines, on 25-26 March 2025. The meetings were co-chaired by Mr. Jose Carlos Reyes, Director of the Cybersecurity Bureau of the Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Ms. Kelly Anderson, Director of International Cyber and Emerging Technology Policy of Global Affairs Canada. The 7th ISM and 15th OESG marks the beginning of the three-year co-chairing of the Philippines and Canada of the ICTs Security work stream of the ARF.
In his opening remarks, Director Reyes underscored that trust, openness, and collaboration are paramount in responding to and preventing emerging cyber threats amidst a rapidly evolving ICTs environment. The Philippines also moderated panel discussions on regional developments on ICTs security, activities conducted under the ISM in 2024, and the implementation of the Hanoi Plan of Action II (HPOA II) and the 2015 Work Plan on ICTs Security.
In line with the mandate by ARF Ministers to lead discussions on ways to further promote the implementation of the HPOA II, a breakout session was conducted during which participants were given the opportunity to exchange views on the ways forward to the implementation of the HPOA II and the updating of the Work Plan on ICTs Security.
During the ISM, Assistant Secretary Alan Deniega of the DFA’s Office of Civilian Security discussed the Philippines’ National Cybersecurity Plan (2023-2028) and progress on enacting a national Cybersecurity Law. He also shared that four (4) cybersecurity policies have been published since October 2024.
Some ARF participating countries also shared their workshop proposals for the upcoming inter-sessional year under the ambit of the ARF ICTs Security, in which the Philippines proposed a workshop on critical information infrastructure (CII) identification. The proposals will be further discussed during the upcoming ARF Inter-Sessional Group (ISG) on Confidence Building Measures and Preventive Diplomacy in May 2025 in Malaysia. END
The Co-Chairs of the Meetings, Director Kelly Anderson (left) of Global Affairs Canada and Director Jose Carlos Reyes (right) of the Cybersecurity Bureau of DICT
Director Anwar Ito in the PH country seat at the OESG providing a briefing on the Hanoi Plan of Action II and 2015 Work Plan on ICTs Security
In-person participants during the informal breakout sessions at the 15th OESG, moderated by representatives from the Philippines and Canada
Assistant Secretary Alan Deniega in the PH country seat at the ISM discussing the Philippines’ progress in developing cybersecurity policies and legislation