DICT Urges Iligan Youth to Be Cyber-Security Conscious

The Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT) in Iligan City urges around 400 students who attended their Cyber Security Awareness and Information Campaign to be cyber security conscious to prevent and counter the proliferation of crimes committed online.

DICT’s Cybersecurity Bureau division head, Thelma D. Villamorel said that they went around the country, presenting at universities and communities, with the help of local partners, to show and enlighten their audience through a symposium.

Based on the Philippine National Cyber Security Plan, the campaign on cyber security aims to educate and develop awareness of students, particularly the youth, and on how to protect individuals that are constantly exposed in cyberspace or online.

Focus was on four key areas: Protecting Yourself in Cyberspace; Engineered for Addiction in ICT; Government Initiatives; and View from the Front Line of Cybersecurity.

“We are the most vulnerable generation in terms of cybercrime. Why? because we ‘update’ every event happening in our lives online,” expressed Anjeanette Clea-Marie G Reyes of IEC and SOCIAL, DICT Cybersecurity Bureau.

Now it is time to change. Reyes said,

“Let us protect each other online instead of snooping or stalking on someone.”

DICT reminds youth to be responsible ICT user.

Meanwhile, Krystin Shaika D. Catiloc, a first year student taking up Bachelor of Science in Information Technology of MSU-IIT pointed out the impact of the campaign to her as an ICT student.

“All of us are aware of what’s happening online, however, the forum today enlightened us how dangerous the cyberspace is and how this could affect me as student, a future ICT employee and as son/ or daughter,” said Catiloc.

After listening to all speakers, expect that we will be more vigilant and careful with our activities online, especially in social media sites, said Catiloc.

The Cybersecurity Awareness and Information Campaign is part of the 4th imperative of the Cyber Security Plan of 2022, which is called the ‘Protection of the Individuals’ that serves as the protection of every citizen in the country at the cyber environment.

The other three imperatives include Protection of Critical information Infrastructure, Protection of Government Networks and the Protection of Supply Chains.

Villamorel said that they have just concluded the Digital Parenting Conference in Cagayan de Oro which they have launched three times in Metro Manila.

We will be conducting soon a forum on the ‘Anti-Cyberbullying’ and ‘Protection of Children’ here in Iligan,” disclosed Dr Villamorel. (clviajante, PIA Iligan City)