PhilHealth

PhilHealth Cagayan Valley runs 1st leg of Information Security and Technology Conference 06-04-2024

PhilHealth Regional Office (PRO) II recently held its Information Security and Technology conference to equip all regional staff with the latest knowledge in cyber technology and security.

The event, which was organized by PRO II Information Technology (IT) Management Section, headed by Mr. Marlon Malana, was highlighted by presentations by cybersecurity experts Mc Allen Reonel Sebastian “Mars” Cacacho and Zhan Xandre Gavino of Hackthenorth.ph – a nationally recognized non-profit organization in North Luzon dedicated to the professional growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) practitioners.

The organization is also well-regarded within the ICT community for its commitment to promote innovation and professional development. Cacacho and Gavino shared their experiences and insights on current IT trends, challenges, and best practices, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of both the technical and strategic aspects of IT management.

The conference gave PhilHealth employees a venue to enhance their capabilities in handling vast amount of personal and corporate data that the Corporation processes. Emphasized during the discussions were the importance of being adaptable in modern-day challenges and emerging threats, ensuring that PhilHealth remains a robust and secure institution.

For his message, PRO II Vice President BGen. Llewellyn R. Binasoy highlighted the significance of the event and the ongoing commitment to information security:

"This activity has been put together because we understand the need to properly equip you not just with the technical know-how but with the knowledge and understanding on the responsibilities that go along with our respective tasks and responsibilities. We have to be attuned with modern-day challenges, we have to be properly versed with new possibilities and emerging threats, especially since our corporation holds one of the biggest repositories of personal data."

Binasoy also stressed the crucial role of vigilance in safeguarding data, drawing from his extensive experience in national security. Reflecting on a past information security incident, he underscored the need for all employees to act as "human firewalls" to prevent any future breach, and looked forward to the impact of the day’s learning on PhilHealth’s future endeavors.

The activity also paved way for innovation as attendees were encouraged to propose solutions to challenges, some of which hold the potential of becoming functional systems in the future. Binasoy expressed his gratitude to the IT Team for organizing the event and to the Hackthenorth.ph representatives for lending their expertise to the participants. "Thank you Hack the North - Mars and Xander - for being so generous with your time, experience, and expertise. Thank you most especially that you’re doing this for FREE for two sessions."

At the activity’s close, the organizers looked forward to positive impact on PhilHealth's future endeavours as it reinforces its commitment to continuous improvement of security in its IT operations.