DMW: OFW data safe amid cyberattack

MANILA, Philippines — Overseas Filipino workers (OFW)’s data remain intact following a continuing ransomware attack on the online systems of the Department of Migrant Workers.

“DMW databases containing OFW data were not affected by the attack,” the agency said yesterday in a statement.

Preemptive measures to protect OFW data have been taken by the DMW Management Information Technology System.

The DMW Mobile App, however, is temporarily inaccessible.

The agency is working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to restore its online systems.

OFWs will have to visit the DMW national or regional offices, one-stop shops and migrant workers assistance centers for manual processing of their overseas employment certificates or OFW Pass.

Requests for information sheets may be sent through email.

The DMW is also coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to facilitate the smooth departure of OFWs.

Cybersecurity

The Department of Energy (DOE) will finalize by August its cybersecurity plan to protect the country’s key energy infrastructure from cyberattacks.

The plan is aligned with Executive Order 56, signed by President Marcos in April, which laid down the five-year 2023-2028 National Cybersecurity Plan, according to DOE Energy Policy and Planning Bureau supervising science research specialist Magnolia Olvido.

The DOE received technical assistance from the US Agency for International Development in drafting the cybersecurity plan, Olvido said.

“We have already conducted public consultations on the draft. We’re now finalizing the draft and it is targeted for release next month,” Olvido told The STAR.

The DOE yesterday joined policy planners during the three-day cybersecurity risk management training workshop hosted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and USAID in Quezon City. — Rainier Allan Ronda