Pinay Army officer nominated for cybersecurity title  

MANILA, Philippines — A commanding officer in the Philippine Army has become the first Filipino woman to be nominated for the prestigious Cyber Security Woman of the Year (CSWY) Award.

With only two other cybersecurity experts from the United States in the running for the award, her comrades in the 7th Signal Battalion based at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, are rooting for Lt. Col. Francel Margareth Padilla-Taborlupa to claim the title.

Padilla-Taborlupa, who has shown that she is a force to reckon with when it comes to protecting people and securing cyberspace, is also supported by the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The Philippine Army is proud that she stands among the very best of cybersecurity experts from 59 countries around the globe.

In an interview with The STAR, Padilla-Taborlupa said she still could not believe her nomination and reaching the final stage of the awards handled by the United Cybersecurity Alliance.

The group based in California seeks to “unite the global cybersecurity community and provide a platform for women in cybersecurity to learn, enhance their skills, and gain hands-on experience for successful entry and retention within the field.”

Humbly, she acknowledged being up against “very accomplished and empowered women worldwide” whom she looks up to.

Padilla-Taborlupa, 46, a widow and a mother of two accomplished sons, graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 2000. She said she is up against “very very accomplished and empowered women worldwide” that she looks up to.

Why cybersecurity?

When asked to discuss her involvement in cybersecurity, the lieutenant colonel stressed its significance in the digital age which she said is as important as physical security.

She highlighted the need to protect individuals from online threats such as hackers, scammers and predators, extending the notion of security from the physical to the cyber domain.

She also said cybersecurity is about ensuring that your child, while browsing the internet, will not be talking to a hacker or a pedophile, and that your wife will not fall victim to a scammer.

“This means that what is happening in the cyber domain extends to the physical domain. It is part of our job in the military to secure you in the cyber domain,” she said.

Padilla-Taborlupa told The STAR about her advocacy called the Cyber for Peace Initiative, where the goal is to encourage other stakeholders, empowered women and different entities to work together for the improvement of lives.