Army officers told to brace for emerging cyberthreats

THE PHILIPPINE military last week urged newly commissioned army officers to brace for modern warfare challenges amid volatile conditions.

“We live in a volatile and evolving security environment shaped by both traditional and emerging threats,” Defense Undersecretary Irineo C. Espino said in a Philippine Army statement on Sunday. “Internal conflicts, external incursions, cyberattacks, disinformation and climate-related disasters — these threats span land, sea, air, space and cyberspace.”

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in March urged the Philippine Army to modernize its strategies and help address evolving threats that span beyond land warfare, including cyberspace.

Mr. Espino said soldiers should expand their focus beyond land operations, emphasizing their crucial role in the country’s pursuit of an interoperable defense strategy.

The Philippine Army pledged to enhance its adaptability amid evolving security challenges, committing to become more flexible and responsive to unconventional threats, Lieutenant General Roy M. Galido, commander of the Philippine Army, said in the same statement.

“The initiatives driving the Army today are a testament to our ongoing commitment to excellence, ensuring we remain a force that adapts, evolves and leads with purpose in the face of tomorrow’s challenges,” he said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio