The Information Security Officers Group (ISOG), together with XMS, held the opening ceremonies of I Am Secure 2025, the most reputable cybersecurity event series in the country, on April 24, 2025 at the Yuchengco Museum.
The event gathered the program’s institutional partners, organization alliances, and stakeholder-sponsors to launch this year’s event series and cybersecurity campaign approach, themed “Priming for Cyberdefense: The Consummate Strategy.” It marked the beginning of another year dedicated to promoting proactive events and networking avenues essential for staying ahead in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
ISOG’s newly appointed President, Luis “Chito” Jacinto, opened the program on a positive note by highlighting the Philippines’ improvement in the United Nations Global Cybersecurity Index from 61st to 53rd place. “This is a clear reflection of our shared dedication, collaborative efforts with the government, and the unwavering support of all of our partners. This achievement is not merely a number — it is proof that our strategies are working, and our community is moving in the right direction,” said Mr. Jacinto.
The event also featured a keynote address by the Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and ISOG’s 2022 Cybersecurity Excellence Awardee, Henry Aguda. “Today, we gather not just as professionals but as patriots. Hindi lang po ito tungkol sa firewalls at passwords. It’s about protecting something far more precious — our people’s trust, our democracy, the dreams of every Filipino logging into the world,” said Mr. Aguda.
Now in its eighth year, I AM SECURE continues to evolve, showcasing how collective efforts have strengthened over time. ISOG Event & Marketing Consultant and CEO of XMS, Xiameer Valdeavilla, shared a nostalgic look back with I AM SECURE Through the Years. “Hand in hand ISOG and XMS will further raise the bar for cybersecurity awareness, not just locally, but globally. Year after year, I AM SECURE proves to be not just the grandest cybersecurity event series in the country, but a catalyst for industry collaboration, innovation, and economic growth,” Ms. Valdeavilla said.
ISOG and XMS have prepared an exciting lineup of activities for 2025. Pam Valmonte, Program Head of I AM SECURE and Operations Manager of XMS, presented the upcoming programs and activities to the guests. “The I AM SECURE 2025 campaign will feature two cybersecurity forums on June 19 and Aug. 7 at Makati Diamond Residences. On Oct. 2, ISOG will hold ISOGx Season 3 at SMX Convention Center, SM Aura, a TEDx-style conference. On Nov. 20, stakeholders will gather for the thanksgiving ceremonies, the annual fun ISOGoke karaoke battle and with a twist, as we add the shootfest. The year will close with new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives launching in December, supporting communities and expanding cybersecurity awareness.”
IAMSecure Opening Ceremonies
A meaningful highlight of the ceremony was the official launch of Cyber for Peace, an initiative that embodies a shared commitment to using cybersecurity not only for enterprise protection but also as a force for unity, safety, and national security. Leading the launch were Chito Jacinto, President of ISOG; and Maj. Cardinoza SC (PA), Deputy Group Commander of MCAG, CRS, AFP, representing Col. Francel Taborlupa, Spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and an honorary ISOG member.
ISOG also expressed its gratitude to the institutions crucial to the success of its initiatives and the advancement of cybersecurity across the country, including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), National Privacy Commission (NPC), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Philippine Clearing House Corporation (PCHC), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Naval Reserve Command- Philippine Navy (NRC-PN), with their mobilization center & naval reserve unit in NCR, and the Combat Support Brigade, Philippine Marine Corps (CSB-PMC). Forging with other organizations of the same mission of cybersecuring the nation, they recognized ISACA Manila Chapter, I.T. Interaction Philippines, Inc. (ITIP), Bankers Institute of the Philippines, Inc. (BAIPHIL), Cloud Security Alliance (CSA),Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP), and ISC2 Philippine Chapter.
Additionally, ISOG recognized the support of its first set of stakeholder-sponsors: Yuchengco Museum as the venue sponsor; Westcon, Netsec, WSI, and VST-ECS as distributor sponsors; F5, Rapid7, NMI, Sophos, Cloudflare, Arista, Fortinet, Trend Micro, Trends & Technologies, and Qualys as Titanium sponsors; Forcepoint, Palo Alto Networks, KnowBe4, Zscaler, and HumanManaged as Platinum sponsors; SecurityScorecard, Menlo Security, and Novare as Gold sponsors; and Gigamon, Extrahop, and Sangfor as Silver sponsors. Media partners included BusinessWorld, Tech Vibes (Cyber for Peace) DWDD AFP Radio, Tech Travel Monitor, and Digi PH.
To close the event, Alvin Punsalan, Chief Information Security Officer of Security Bank and Vice President of ISOG, delivered an inspiring message focused on Mobilizing the ISOG Cyber Troops for Cyberdefense. “As we look forward to the exciting lineup of events under the I AM SECURE 2025 banner, I encourage everyone to stay focused on our mission. Let’s continue to educate, engage, and empower one another, raising the bar for cybersecurity across the Philippines,” he said.
The ISOG community capped off the day with a networking session, providing an opportunity for cybersecurity professionals to connect and collaborate.
Opening Ceremonies Summary video:
I AM SECURE 2025 Series:
For more information about I AM Secure visit the new social media sites:
YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/@IAMSecure.Campaign
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/i-am-secure-ph/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/I-AM-Secure/
Website coming soon!
Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.
Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.
