Manila, Philippines—The Philippines has significantly improved its position in the 2024 United Nations Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), climbing to 53rd place from 61st in 2020, according to recent data from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

According to the Philippines News Agency, the DICT revealed on Sunday that the country's score in the GCI rose to 93.49 points, up from 77 points in 2020. This achievement places the Philippines just 1.51 points shy of entering Tier 1, which represents the highest echelon in global cybersecurity standards encompassing laws, technology, organizations, training, and international cooperation.

The country's progression to Tier 2 (Advancing) from Tier 3 (Evolving) underscores substantial enhancements in key areas such as technical skills development, international collaboration, organization of cybersecurity initiatives, and capacity building to combat cyber threats. The GCI's introduction of a five-tier level system this year further benchmarks these improvements.

DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy emphasized the national efforts contributing to this success, stating, "This is a huge achievement for the Philippines. It shows that our hard work to protect Filipinos online is bearing fruit, but we are not stopping here. We are on the brink of being a global leader in cybersecurity and we will continue working to safeguard our digital world."

The advancement is largely credited to the government's strategic focus on cybersecurity, particularly through the implementation of the National Cybersecurity Plan (NCSP) 2023-2028. In April, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 58, which mandates all government agencies to adopt the NCSP, bolstering the nation's defenses against cyberattacks and online threats.

This progress marks a pivotal step for the Philippines toward achieving a leading role in global cybersecurity, ensuring a robust and secure digital environment for all its citizens.