Smart Deploys Emergency Communications Solutions at Rizal Quake Drill

Wazzup Pilipinas!

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications has once again provided emergency communications support for the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill, with the activity’s second quarter installment in San Mateo, Rizal.

The drill was spearheaded by the Office of Civil Defense Region IV-A and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in partnership with the local government. It simulated the Big One or a magnitude 7.2 earthquake situation.

During the drill, Smart deployed its multi-equipment on wheels (MEOW) portable cell site and satellite communications suite, and provided libreng tawag (free calls) assistance.

PLDT and Smart public affairs head Ramon R. Isberto said Smart’s participation in the drill was part of the company’s commitment to use technology toward nation-building. “Our various communication tools, including the cellular and data services themselves, are part of our #SafePH advocacy, which aims to help build more resilient communities and reduce disaster risk,” said Isberto.

In line with its #SafePH campaign, Smart has also invested over P500 million on the Emergency Cell Broadcast System. Smart acquired ECBS to fully comply with Republic Act No. 10639 or the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act, which mandates telecommunications service providers to send free mobile alerts in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities.

Accompanied by a loud siren sound, ECBS alerts are designed to send urgent messages, such as evacuation notices and earthquake and tsunami warnings, to activated mobile devices within the affected area.

Cell broadcast is effective in disseminating quick hazard alerts because it operates on a radio channel separate from those used by voice calls and text messages or SMS (short messaging service), which may get congested in times of calamities.

The drill was led by NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad, Vice Chair Eduardo Año, and spokesperson Director Edgar Posadas; and Gov. Rebecca “Nini” Ynares, Mayor Tina Diaz, and various representatives of the disaster preparedness and response council and the municipal government.

Posadas noted the importance of communication and information as part of disaster preparedness. “Information is very important—it’s our lifeline. The area-specific alerts are very much appreciated. It’s a work in progress, but these are baby steps in refining our procedures toward resilience,” he said.

At the start of the program, the participants were urged to assume the “duck, cover, and hold” position and converged in an open area near the municipal hall. Residents, workers, students, and government personnel joined the activities, while responders were on standby for mock rescue operations. The drills started at 1 p.m. and were held at various locations across San Mateo.

The drills also simulated other emergency situations such as injuries, typhoons, flooding, evacuation, fire, and prison break.

In times of calamities, Smart has provided emergency communications support such as free SMS, calls, charging, and Wi-Fi, for residents and responders. These services have been deployed, for instance, during the onslaught of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in 2013, the series of earthquakes in Batangas last year, and Mayon Volcano eruption early this year, among other typhoon and earthquake situations in recent times.

The other programs under Smart’s #SafePH include TNT Tropang Ready, which tours schools nationwide to educate the youth on preparedness and empower them to mobilize their communities in times of calamities; and the Batingaw disaster management app, which allows users to report incidents and features tools such as a flashlight, a siren, a radio, and a directory of emergency contact numbers.

DOE Pushes for More Energy Hubs in West Visayas

Wazzup Pilipinas!

FAST-TRACK ENERGY PROJECTS: Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary Robert B. Uy tells participants of the Energy Investment Briefing on Wednesday that a policy is in place to fast-track energy projects. Hence the cooperation and feedback from stakeholders are vital for this undertaking. Uy added that the DOE fully supports the Ambisyon 2040 vision of the administration through the provision of secured and sustainable energy services, as well as ensuring an energy-resilient Philippines.

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday (27 June 2018) unveiled more business opportunities for investors, particularly in the energy sector in the Western Visayas area through an Energy Investment Briefing held at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.

Spearheaded by the DOE- Investment Promotion Office led by Chief Investment Specialist Lisa S. Go, the forum aimed not only to provide relevant information on emerging business opportunities in the region, but also to establish synergy among key players in the industry for a more efficient implementation of energy projects.

Among others, the forum provided information and strategies to facilitate the establishment of energy-related businesses at the local level, which in turn could help spur the economic progress in the area.

Likewise, the briefing included detailed updates on the Visayas Power Supply and Demand Outlook, as well as the existing and potential energy projects in the region.

In addition, the discussion also focused on the potential benefits that would accrue to a community hosting a power project and the requirements and procedures involved in the implementation of energy projects.

For his part, DOE Visayas Field Office OIC Director Saul Gonzales encouraged the participants to actively contribute in the exchange of relevant information on the energy sector in the region.

In his closing remarks, DOE Assistant Secretary Robert B. Uy, expressed hope for increased business activity in the energy sector, noting the significant strides the government has made to establish a level playing field for all energy investors.

He cited the creation of an Energy Investment Coordinating Council under Executive Order 30.

Participants in the briefing included representatives from the local government units, electric cooperatives, as well as existing and potential energy investors in the region.

The investment briefing is part of the DOE’s effort to extend the message of the E-Power Mo campaign to the business sector, local government units and electric cooperatives, highlighting their critical role in providing reliable, steady and affordable energy supply to the consumers.

On Tuesday, the E-Power Mo campaign celebrated its first year anniversary, underscoring the need for the consumers, the developers and the operators of vital energy infrastructures to work with the government in bringing about an energy resilient Philippines.

The Data Protection Landscape in APAC: Preparedness and Compliance will be Key to Winning Customer Trust

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In the wake of Europe’s GDPR implementation, Asia Pacific governments are likely to become tougher on data protection compliance

The data protection landscape in the Asia-Pacific region is rapidly maturing compared to just a few years ago, with implementation and enforcement of privacy and data security laws becoming more rigorous and stringent.

While the region has in the past been perceived as less litigious than the western countries, this is changing as digital adoption increases and governments become more sensitive to the need to protect personal data and confidential information.

Globally, South East Asia is one of the fastest growing regions for digital innovation, spurred by better internet connectivity and smartphone adoption.

Singapore has a Smart Nation vision; Malaysia the world’s first Digital Free Trade Zone; while Thailand has earmarked a ‘Thailand 4.0’ vision for all sectors of the economy to be digital. By 2025, digital commerce in the top 6 countries in ASEAN is expected to reach US$90 billion, up from US$5 billion in 2015[1].

The collection of personal data by countries in the Asia Pacific is also expected to grow exponentially as the processing and analysis of large amounts of personal data become possible with digital technologies.

As cross-border data transactions grow,cyber security and data protection laws are also converging to reflect the demands of the emerging digital economy.

Many Asia Pacific businesses, however, have yet to move towards compliance with current legislation, and are holding back implementation until they can understand what compliance standards would look like.

However, this is set to change as data protection rules become formalised. Europe’s GDPR implementation in May 2018 has set a precedent that is likely to motivate Asia Pacific governments to further tighten the screws on privacy protection, for instance, by setting punitive financial penalties when companies mishandle customer data, demandingstricter internal risk management controlsand putting into law compulsory requirements for data breach notification.

Data protection compliance regulation coming into force across Asia Pacific

China, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines have recently updated their data protection compliance rules or will be introducing new privacy and cyber security laws.

China has introduced some of the most comprehensive data protection regulations. A new Cybersecurity Law was enforced in June 2017, placing the onus on companies that conduct business in China—regardless if they have a physical presence in the country—to review their data protection policies and ensure compliance.

From 2014 to September 2017, a total of 1,529 criminal cases of infringement of personal information were heard in courts across the country.

In the next few months, China will be introducing e-commerce legislation to cover areas such as data anonymisation, big data, overseas data transfers and information security. Companies that fail to comply with the law will face severe financial penalties, possibly including the loss of their rights to conduct business.

In Singapore, changes to the Personal Data Protection Act already include facets similar to Europe’s GDPR, particularly in mandatory breach notification and appointment of a data protection officer.

In the first five months of 2018, a number of financial and insurance organisations, including AIG, Aventis, Aviva and Actxa were fined for failing to provide adequate security arrangements to protect personal data, or for breaching rules on the use of personal data. A cyber security bill is widely expected to be passed later this year in Singapore.

The Philippines Data Privacy Act was updated in 2016, making tougher sanctions enforceable on personal data security, including a compulsory 72-hour personal data breach notification.

Data protection safeguards are similarly being put in place in Australia. A mandatory data breach notification scheme was launched in February this year requiring companies to notify data breaches where serious risk of harm to individuals is caused. Failure to comply can lead to fines up to US$2 million.

Elsewhere, Japan’s Personal Information Protection Act was amended in May 2017, the Malaysian Personal Data Protection Act was enacted in 2013 and South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act, updated in 2016, contains some of thestrictest data protection rules relating to IT networks and the use of credit information.

Businesses must move to protect their data, and themselves

The need for compliance is profoundlyimpacting how businesses handle personal data and manage their business process.

Security and the need to protect sensitive and confidential information is becoming a critical part of business operations.

All businesses need to be aware of major regional data privacy legislation and how it will apply to them. They need to assess their environments and ensure that they can meet current or oncoming compliance guidelines.

Non-compliance can be costly and lead to serious damages to their corporate reputation.

If businesses have yet to consider the tougher data regulations, now is a good time to start with an information audit and to begin developing awareness.

Crucially, they need to ask if they have the infrastructure, data management processes, and IT and cybersecurity technologies in place to protect their business environment. Do they have a robust data protection framework that can detect and mitigate data breaches quickly and effectively? Do they have visibility deep into their infrastructure, and know where their data is, as well as who and what are accessing it?

Cybersecurity is central to compliance with data protection regulations. Organizations must ensure they have the capability to prevent network intrusion and minimize the risk of serious breach, by reducing the time taken to detect new threats. They must also have effective and tested post-intrusion responses.

Opportunity to win customer trust and loyalty

With the data protection compliance burden growing in the Asia-Pacific region, it’s likely that the effort of achieving compliance, and the risks associated with the failure to comply, will increase dramatically. 

For many businesses, customer confidence is already being influenced by their perceived risk of conducting transactions online, or whether their personal data is at risk of being compromised or stolen. Meeting or exceeding regulatory requirements will go a long way towards assuaging those concerns.

New data compliance rules also offer an opportunity for businesses to re-evaluate their processes and improve data management and customer loyalty. Rather than seeing these new regulations as challenges or barriers, they would be better off viewing them as an opportunity to achieve competitive differentiation, and as a way to drive greater customer confidence and trust in their brands.

By Peerapong Jongvibool, regional director for Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, Fortinet