The Department of National Defense discussed cybersecurity cooperation with the Communications Security Establishment of Canada in a meeting at Camp Aguinaldo on Thursday, March 13.
The discussions revolved around deepening cybersecurity collaboration, exchanging best practices in policy development, and exploring capacity-building initiatives to enhance cyber defense capabilities. The Canadian delegation also noted upcoming cybersecurity engagements with the Philippines, including a potential visit by the Commander of Canada’s Cyber Command.
During the meeting, Senior Undersecretary Irineo Espino and Canada’s Cyber Envoy Sami Khoury, together with other DND and Armed Forces of the Philippines officials, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman, as well as officials from Canada’s defense and cybersecurity sectors, discussed the need to strengthen cyber resilience and enhance information-sharing mechanisms to address evolving cyber threats, as emphasized by DND Office for Cyber and Information System Management (OCISM) Director Christine June Cariño.
She likewise highlighted Canada’s National Cyber Threat Assessment as a valuable model for bolstering cybersecurity strategies, particularly in support of the newly established AFP Cyber Command.
Khoury, on the other hand, provided insights into Canada’s cybersecurity incident response framework and ongoing national threat assessments, underscoring the importance of proactive measures in mitigating cyber risks.
Likewise, the two parties explored best practices in cyber governance, particularly Canada’s approach to consolidating cyber functions under a single agency, the National Cyber Center.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defense and security cooperation, recognizing that a secure and resilient cyberspace is essential to safeguarding national and regional stability.
The meeting came a few days after negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, which the two nations are expected to sign in the near future.
