Author: Dawn Solano

SINGAPORE – Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy said that the ability to defend a country’s cyber infrastructure requires good intel, which the Philippines currently lacks. Having the right people with the right skillset and tools is important in identifying where a threat is coming from, the DICT chief told PhilSTAR Tech in an exclusive interview during the Singapore International Cyberweek 2024 (SICW 2024). “But we have zero intel files, zero confidential funds to do so. So, how do you pay for the intelligence you need?” Uy lamented. Last year, the DICT’s proposed 300 million confidential…

Last year, Lazada launched the first ChatGPT-powered chatbot for e-commerce in Southeast Asia. If you haven’t heard of this, try going to your Lazada app. Pull down from the top of the screen and then release once you see a cute-looking lion winking at you. That’s LazzieChat.Pauline Castro, Lazada Philippines’ head of user product operations, said that Lazada is standing at the forefront of the AI revolution.With 60% of e-commerce companies in Southeast Asia adopting some form of AI into their business models, Castro said that they have leveraged on its potential to the “extra mile.”“So, why is AI important…

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) warned the public that there will be a significant increase in fake, manipulated media content in the nearing mid-term elections, saying that AI has made it “easier” to create and spread deceptive content.During the second day of the Singapore International Cyber Week 2024, DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said that the country has seen proliferation of fake news in the previous elections, and he believes that AI will make it even a larger threat today.“I think Comelec is in the right direction in saying that they would like to ban AI-generated content,…

The Philippines is now in cooperation with United States and Japan in enhancing the country’s cybersecurity and digitalization.The agreement between the three nations was held during the Singapore International Cyber Week 2024 (SICW 2024), on October 18. The dialogue was co-chaired by U.S. Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy Nathaniel C. Fick, Japan’s Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Policy Bureau Yukio Saita, and Department of Information and Communication Technology Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian C. Dy. Officials from the three nations discussed partnership in the cyberspace, including cybersecurity capacity building, workforce development, maritime cybersecurity, and enhancing information-sharing mechanisms.The dialogue also…

SINGAPORE – The first commissioner of Cybersecurity in Singapore urged ASEAN countries to view cybersecurity as the key to reaping the benefits of technology today, saying that the first step is to address it.David Koh, also the first and current chief Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), said that cybersecurity opens up the gates to educational, social, and economical opportunities.Seeing cybersecurity as the key to these gates more than it being an “existential threat” will not only redefine cybersecurity approaches within one ASEAN country, but to all other countries within the region.“If you don’t address cyber security, then it’s 650…

SINGAPORE – Singapore is going to host and fund the ASEAN Regional Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), an initiative dedicated in strengthening cybersecurity within the region, for 10 years.Josephine Teo, Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information and Minister-in-charge of Smart Nation and Cybersecurity, announced the launch of the physical facility yesterday, October 16, 2024, during the ninth ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity (AMCC) in the Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) 2024.“…The ASEAN Regional CERT represents a concrete step in ASEAN’s efforts towards regional capacity building and sharing of best practices,” Teo said. Running the ASEAN Regional CERT will cost…

PhilSTAR Media Group, one of the leading media organizations in the Philippines, held its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) summit, PRO FUTURE: AI FOR LIFE, to tackle its potential to stimulate economic growth in the country.

Students today are no longer just in need of the family computer, or the older brother’s laptop. They need their personal workhorse for their daily tasks for school projects and homeworks. This is where tablets come in. Luckily, we have a lot of the “budget-friendly” tablets in the market, ready for choosing!For this review, we have the recently launched Honor Pad X8a.We have been using it for two weeks, and here are the top three features we like about the device.1. A battery life that lasts for more than two daysThe Honor Pad X8a has an ultra large battery of…

Aside from the fact that we got the pink wristband, the Xiaomi Band 9 has one more thing that blends with my preferred workout—it’s 10 running courses. Just a quick story: My afternoons, during my elementary to junior high school years, were spent on the oval, training for an annual track & field competition against athletes from several schools. In short, running was my thing even back then. But when I got to senior high school, I became too busy with getting my grades up and too discouraged to join any sport. It was only until recently when I decided…

TikTok kicks off its smart shopping campaign, #TikTokShopSmart, to promote safer online shopping experience for its consumers in the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations. This campaign offers tips and safety measures for the online shoppers, from browsing to checkout, making sure that every transaction is safe. TikTok Shop encourages consumers to buy from verified sellers and read product reviews to make informed decisions.Franco Aligaen, TikTok Shop Philippines’ Marketing Lead, said that the campaign will help reinforce their commitment in delivering “reliable, customer-first experience.”The marketing head said that it is their goal to help their consumers shop wisely.As a part…