AFP hiring cybersecurity, AI experts for modernization push

• Photo courtesy of AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is looking to recruit specialists in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies as part of efforts to build a more modern and future-ready military.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said military modernization now goes beyond acquiring new weapons, vehicles, and other equipment. She said the AFP must also strengthen its technical expertise to respond to threats in cyberspace and the information domain.

“Ang modernong AFP po ay para siyang isang smartphone. Hindi po sapat na meron tayong bagong hardware; kailangan rin pong meron tayong mga pinakabago at magagaling na mga applications. So, hindi lang po tayo nagdadagdag ng tao. Tayo po ay nagdadagdag ng expertise,” Padilla said during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

The recruitment initiative is expected to bring in professionals who can support the AFP’s cybersecurity operations, artificial intelligence capabilities, laboratories, command centers, and information systems.

“Sa panahon ngayon, ang laban po natin hindi lang po dun sa battlefield na talagang kinikilala natin on the ground. Nasa cyberspace na po tayo, sa information domain, and andyan po ‘yung laboratories and command centers din natin. And so, talent, in this case, is a force multiplier,” Padilla said.

She said present-day security challenges are no longer limited to conventional battlefields, with threats increasingly emerging through digital networks, information operations, and other technology-driven environments.

“So, this initiative reflects our commitment to build a future-ready AFP where excellence, innovation, and service to the country go hand in hand,” Padilla said.

The government’s National Digital Connectivity Plan cited estimates from the Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team (PH-CERT) and the National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP) indicating that the country needs at least 180,000 trained and certified cybersecurity professionals to help protect its digital infrastructure.