Defense transcends physical territories

The defense of a nation is usually contemplated in terms of protecting its territories. Each country has its own bounds, within which it is free to do as it deems right. Any foreign country infringing into another’s established domain is violating international law and basic decorum.

China’s recent actions in the West Philippine Sea, for instance, are clearly an issue of national defense. How else do we describe the presence of its so-called monster ship, the use of military-grade laser or water cannons against our Navy ships, the sideswiping of Philippine vessels, and that audacious act of its helicopter coming within three meters of a Philippine aircraft?

The Philippines is right to exhaust all diplomatic measures to protest such aggressive acts. Our military has, in the best interest of the nation, pivoted its approach so that it can now focus on external defense.

But this is not all there is to defense.

Times are changing fast, and technology has opened up new avenues for communication, work, and study. The new normal includes greater reliance on technology. This is also evident in how digital interconnectedness has enabled economic growth and development. Corporations and industries rely on technology to facilitate the exchange of goods and services. Our national leaders have themselves announced that it is their aim to make the Philippines a digitally powered economy.

But this new, convenient world comes at a price.

Because we have come to rely on the ease and convenience offered by technology, we also become easy prey to those with sinister motives, whether these are financial, personal, or political, and whether they are acting on their own or are sponsored by a nation-state. These criminal elements are able to achieve their objectives without firing a single shot or launching a single plane or boat. They never show their faces. And yet, they are often able to get what they want.

It is precisely because of this that cyber attackers have evolved into modern-day rogues. It is against this new breed of attackers that we have to protect our security. The ways in which they cause damage are many: data breaches, scams and fraud, identity theft, and information warfare—specifically misinformation and disinformation.

Just look at the current propaganda being spread on how the island of Palawan does not belong to the Philippines. We can always refute this using what we know, but what about the many others who are easily swayed by propaganda or do not see the reason for this move?

As the 2025 midterm elections draw near, it is critical to reinforce cyber defense capabilities especially in combating malicious foreign influence, as well as disinformation and misinformation campaigns via social media.

The latter is especially alarming given the fact that the latest Pulse Asia survey conducted from Jan. 18 to 25 this year showed that eight in 10 Filipinos use the internet as a source of news. The same survey revealed that 98 percent of Filipinos use Facebook and 89 percent use YouTube to read, listen to, or watch the news.

Unfortunately, not all Filipinos are aware that just because something is on social media does not mean it should be believed. Social media, which was once heralded as a force for freedom and democracy, has come under increasing scrutiny for its role in (1) amplifying disinformation; (2) public opinion manipulation; (3) inciting division/polarization, and (4) lowering levels of trust in traditional media and democratic institutions.

Knowing the power of social media, candidates allot a significant portion of their campaign funds to use this platform to shape public opinion, boost their political agenda and messaging, and propagate ideas. This would have been fine if none of them resorted to misinformation and disinformation to mislead the public.

The prevalence of digital consumption among our people has an accompanying responsibility—making sure that we do not fall prey to inauthentic and misleading material online. The task of ensuring that our people are discerning consumers of digital information is a shared burden among government, the private sector, civil society including the media and schools, and individuals themselves.

As technology becomes integral to our daily life, we increasingly depend on information from digital platforms to decide whom to vote for and whom to reject. Thus, technology influences how we engage in our country’s democratic exercise. We must protect cyberspace with the same vigilance we devote to defending our territorial and maritime domains.

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Dindo Manhit is the founder and CEO of Stratbase Group.