#SecureOurWorld

Participants and resource speakers of Ayala Cybersecurity Day held on October 22 at ACEN's headquarters, including (seated, from left) Ayala Chief Audit Executive Cathy Ang, AC Logistics CIO Walter Yu, ACEN Shared Services President Zeeshan Pervez, and Globe Business Field CTO Ice de Ocampo

Whatever strategies we put in place, whatever action plan we put in place, let’s not forget the human behavior part of it and the human actions that come with it. We are changing the culture around safety. We are evolving the culture around cybersecurity. And you are all part of that culture change program.

ZEESHAN PERVEZ
ACEN Shared Services, Inc. President

Organizations must be prepared for the ever-growing threat of stolen data, system disruptions, and other challenging scenarios brought about by the rapidly advancing technology landscape. This was the focus of Ayala Cybersecurity Day held October 22 by Ayala Corporation together with ACEN and Globe Business.

The event was opened by Ayala Compliance Officer for Privacy Atty. Charlene Tapic-Castro, who underscored the importance of consent in processing personal data. “You are not only the protectors of our data. You, yourselves, are data subjects who have rights to your personal freedom to be protected," she said. She also reminded that the Data Privacy Act does not restrict institutions from processing personal data but instead provides guidelines on how to responsibly do so.

This final point was echoed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Cybersecurity Policy Lead Genalyn Macalinao, who presented the National Cybersecurity Plan. She highlighted the importance of coordination between the private and public sectors to protect critical information infrastructures.

The second half of the session drew attention to the people aspect of cybersecurity. Globe Business Field Chief Technology Officer Ice de Ocampo noted the role of each and every employee in cybersecurity, and advocated for understanding and using artificial intelligence, given the proper guardrails.

“We need to embrace AI, but we have to ensure that we use it ethically and have proper governance," added Asian Institute of Management’s Academic Program Director for Master in Cybersecurity Philip Teow Huat Kwa.

The event closed with a fireside chat that emphasized collaboration within the Ayala group to strengthen each other’s digital defenses.