British Chamber calls for Congress to pass Cybersecurity Act

Philstar.com

January 15, 2026 | 12:13pm

On Monday, the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading 12 of 48 Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority bills.

The British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) welcomed this move and called on policymakers to also pass the Cybersecurity Act, which is also identified as a priority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 

In an interview, BCCP Executive Vice Chair Chris Nelson said that, “I think it’s very important that the Cybersecurity Act be passed this year. We’ve been advocating strongly for this. The Anti-Financial Scamming Act (AFASA) was passed, and I think passing the Cybersecurity Act will make companies more conscious and increase protection, which is needed not just here but across the world.”

In July 2024, the passage of the AFASA law aims to combat financial cybercrimes and allow the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to investigate financial accounts, creating a more safe and secure financial system.

The Chamber has previously noted that this would welcome opportunities for UK cybersecurity companies to invest in the Philippines, with Nelson adding that, “The UK has key expertise in cybersecurity. We have two of the leading companies here as members, that’s NCC and CyberQ UK. And I think this will assist in making sure the Philippines is protected and at the same time, make people more aware and to have more cybersecurity expertise in that area.”

Nelson also noted that countries around the world remain vulnerable to cyberattacks with the UK having experienced a growth slowdown and disruption in its supply chain citing the cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover last year, marking a significant halt to its manufacturing production.

This scenario further necessitates the passage of a comprehensive and institutionalized cybersecurity strategy for the Philippines to safeguard national agencies, local government units, the private sector and other stakeholders. 

At the same time, market opportunities in the cybersecurity sector can also be leveraged with the UK hosting another UK-Southeast Asia Tech Week 2026, which will run from February 9 to 13 in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.

Nelson noted that, “This event only signals that UK companies in cybersecurity, fintech, and AI, among many others, are looking at opportunities in the Philippines and the wider ASEAN region. All the more, this underscores the need for the Philippines to be more competitive by strengthening its regulatory framework and accelerating digitalization that are key in attracting investors.”