Philippines’ Department of ICT honors AJCCA with Digital Hero Award and as one of its strategic partners in securing the digital ecosystem of the country
(Sapporo, Japan, August 5, 2026) – The ASEAN Japan Cybersecurity Alliance (AJCCA) was honored by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as one of its strategic partners for cybersecurity in the Digital Bayanihan Awards: A Decade of Digital Transformation and Building the Future Together. AJCCA was accorded as one of the “Bayani sa Last Mile” awardees.
The award was personally given by Jerry Infeliz, OIC Director of the DICT Cybersecurity Bureau (CSB) and Christine Apple Pre, Division Chief, DICT CSB to AJCCA Chairman Rudi Lumanto, AJCCA Board Member Lito Averia, AJCCA Secretary General Seichi Ito, and AJCCA Strategic Communications Lead Sam Jacoba, during the culminating activity of the AJCCA Business Matching Event in Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan.
Under the overarching spirit of the Philippines National ICT Month 2026 theme, “Isang Dekadang Digital: Konektado sa Puso At Serbisyo,” the DICT celebrated its 10th year anniversary last June 2026 and recognized its partners that have contributed significantly to the development of its projects, programs, and initiatives throughout the years.
AJCCA was selected “on account of its significant contribution and continued support to the DICT’s initiatives, projects, and programs throughout the past ten years,” according to the Awards Committee.
In his keynote message at the culminating activity, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda stressed that the “DICT believes that Digital Bayanihan (Cooperation) is key to achieving a safer and more responsible cyberspace for Filipinos.”
AJCCA Chairman Rudi Lumanto expressed his gratitude to the DICT and looks forward to deeper cooperation in the areas of cyber leadership, cybersecurity and cyber resilience.
“The AJCCA’s partnership with the government organizations in the ASEAN Japan region shows that we should all work together to secure our collective digital ecosystems,” Dr. Lumanto said. “Our partnership with the Cybersecurity Bureau of the DICT is a best practice that AJCCA will share with other countries in our community.”
“We wish DICT continued success in its next 10 years. PH-CERT lobbied for the creation of the DICT, and now that it has reached its first decade milestone, we clearly see that it will pave the way for national digital transformation for the Philippines, by innovating and protecting Critical Information Infrastructure (CII),” Averia said. “We also look forward to the passage of the Cybersecurity Act which will create a National Cybersecurity Agency that will work together with the DICT in securing Philippine citizens and its cyberspace.”
“This quarter, AJCCA will again work with the DICT CSB and prepare for the 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Month,” Jacoba said. “A strong public-private partnership is the cornerstone for a whole-of-society approach in securing the Philippines’ cyber ecosystem, achieving cyber resilience, which eventually leads to cyber prosperity.”
AJCCA kicked off its engagement with the DICT CSB during the 2024 Cybersecurity Awareness Month in the Philippines.
