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Cyber risks on the rise as Phl digital economy booms
The Freeman
|February 13, 2026
The Philippines' digital economy is expanding rapidly as companies scale online services, e-commerce grows and artificial intelligence (AI) becomes mainstream, putting the sector on track for an estimated US $80 billion to US$150 billion in gross merchandise value by 2030.
That growth is widening exposure to cyber threats. Each new platform creates additional entry points for attackers increasingly using automated, AI-driven tools that allow sophisticated campaigns to be launched at scale.
What was once specialist work is now available as a service, raising risks for organizations of all sizes and colliding with a shortage of cybersecurity talent that is failing to keep pace with digital adoption.
About 98 percent of Philippine organizations experienced at least one security incident in the past year tied to a lack of skilled staff, according to Fortinet's 2025 Cybersecurity Skills Gap report.
This story is from the February 13, 2026 edition of The Freeman.
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