Smart Communications, PLDT’s mobile unit, joined hands with the Philippines’ Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Centre (CICC) to create a public-private alliance aimed at ensuring the resilience of the country’s telecoms infrastructure.

In a statement, the operator noted the Protect Technology-Telecom Alliance, or Protecta Pilipinas, will set up systems to monitor the performance of networks, providing regular assessments to identify vulnerabilities, maintenance requirements and potential risks.

Objectives of the partnership include promoting measures to safeguard networks, covering redundancy, disaster recovery plans and cybersecurity protocols to prevent disruptions, and timely reporting mechanisms of suspicious activities or threats.

The group also will collaborate with relevant government agencies on policy initiatives, regulations and enforcement mechanisms, and well as with operators, equipment vendors and service providers to encourage best practices, information sharing and joint efforts to secure infrastructure.

CICC executive director Alexander Ramos stated the group will ensure the country’s critical infrastructure for communications are “given proper attention in terms of security and integrity”.

Other members of the alliance are the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators, CitizenWatch Philippines, public policy think tank Infrawatch PH, the Philippines National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, the Federation of International Cable TV Association of the Philippines and Manila Electric.