But industry analysts say such plans could prove difficult because of a significant shortage of expert “cyber warriors” within the Philippines, which is estimated to wish tens of 1000’s of digital security specialists.
Whether targeting bizarre people, journalists or activists, online threats comparable to doxxing, domain blocking and digital surveillance are on the rise within the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, highlighting the shortage of resources and expertise to combat them – experts say.
“The government doesn’t realize that we have a brain drain not only in the healthcare sector but also in the cybersecurity sector,” said JM Cipriano, a cybersecurity specialist who worked for a multinational company within the Philippines.
Despite higher salaries than other IT careers, Filipino cybersecurity experts are attracted abroad by corporations offering extra money, higher working conditions and relocation packages, he said.
Practitioners within the Philippines can expect a monthly salary of 40,000 to 90,000 pesos ($690 to $1,560), or as much as six times the minimum wage, Cipriano said.
However, he said the Philippines continues to lose cybersecurity talent to US corporations with overseas offices in Manila or to corporations in Singapore, the UK and the Middle East that provide more competitive salaries.
Last yr, the worldwide shortage of cybersecurity professionals reached an all-time high, with roughly 4 million job vacancies worldwide, in keeping with the cybersecurity nonprofit ISC2, with the gap growing fastest in developing countries.
While a part of the issue is migration from the Philippines, the world’s top labor exporter, experts say domestic shortages are also linked to inadequate training opportunities and policies to spice up domestic recruitment.
The need for cybersecurity professionals “is just not well communicated in several parts of the country,” said Angel Redoble, founding father of the Philippine Institute of Cyber Security Professionals, a nonprofit organization working for a protected cyberspace within the Philippines.
Filipinos can only study cybersecurity at just a few private universities where tuition fees are high, and so they are sometimes encouraged to pursue certifications in specific training and courses for 15,000-20,000 pesos.
These barriers caused 27-year-old former teacher Jaevik Madayag to desert his plans to work in the sector.
“Cybersecurity certifications are extremely expensive for Filipinos, and having a certification does not guarantee that you can enter the job market,” he said.
In the face of growing cybersecurity threats and data breaches, the federal government is taking steps to extend recruitment.
In January, it launched a brand new set of cybersecurity standards that schools and training centers can use of their curricula.
As a part of the brand new national cybersecurity strategy, there are plans to create more specialist degrees and programs to upskill or retrain existing professionals.
Supporting accessible profession development might be crucial, said Madayag, who currently works in IT support for a number one global technology company.
“Cybersecurity is a niche job in the IT industry,” he said. “You have to go through a lot of paths and prerequisites and you can’t skip ahead to practice.”
