Cybersecurity firm sets up shop in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Is the Philippines becoming a hotbed of digital fraud and online attacks that cybersecurity firms from around the world are opening up offices here?

Cybersecurity giant NCC Group yesterday opened its newest office at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, the largest outside of its headquarters in the UK.

Speaking to reporters at the launch, NCC Group CEO Mike Maddison said the company set up shop in the Philippines given the opportunity to offer cybersecurity solutions here.

Maddison said demand for the latest cybersecurity services is rising in the country. He noted that government alone is a potential customer for the NCC Group, as it demands the most stringent protection to take care of sensitive data.

Apart from this, Maddison sees potential in the banking, pharmaceutical and technology markets of the Philippines. He said these industries manage the personal data of their customers, and they require cybersecurity solutions to detect and prevent online breaches.

NCC Group chief operating officer Kevin Brown said the Manchester-based provider of cybersecurity software offers one of the best portfolios for data protection.

Brown noted that the NCC Group works with international authorities like the Interpol, ensuring that its efforts are backed by respected institutions on information security.

Maddison said the NCC Group currently employs 70 workers in its Manila office, but it plans to add more in the coming months as part of its commitment to harness local talents.

The NCC Group is engaged in discussions with some of the leading universities in the country to help in the development of Filipino workers in cybersecurity. NCC Group country director Saira Acuna said the collaboration allows the company to provide employment to Filipinos.

The partnership comes mainly in two forms, the first being assistance in crafting curriculum for teaching information technology. The second, Saira said, is that the NCC Group extends training to graduating students who want to explore the possibility of working for a cybersecurity firm.

Recently, the Philippines, particularly its government, has endured a series of malicious attacks that endangered the data privacy of millions of Filipinos.

The most notorious of these incidents was the ransomware attack on state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. in 2023 that led to the leak of sensitive information of PhilHealth members.