The lower chamber of Congress has given its final approval to a measure that would establish a dedicated government office to handle the Philippines’ digital defense.
House Bill No. 9605, formally titled the “National Cybersecurity and Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Act of 2026,” passed its third reading on August 12. The approval came just two weeks after the second regular session of the 20th Congress began.
The proposal, which the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council considers a top priority, will now move to the Senate for further action.
If enacted, the National Cybersecurity Agency, or NCSA, would function under the Office of the President. It would take the lead in setting policies, coordinating responses to online threats, and enforcing security measures across government and key industries.
The agency would absorb the cybersecurity division of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, including its staff, tools, records, and budget.
The bill applies to a broad range of entities, such as:
- National government offices
- State-run corporations and financial institutions
- Public universities and colleges
- Local governments
- Both public and private operators of critical information infrastructure
- Companies that provide cybersecurity goods and services to the government
The bill includes provisions to protect civil liberties. It states that the NCSA must carry out its duties while upholding human rights, privacy, and personal dignity. The agency is also barred from monitoring public opinion, regulating online content, or analyzing speech when gathering open-source data for threat assessment.
The measure had already passed second reading and was endorsed under Committee Report No. 423. It consolidates 28 separate cybersecurity and infrastructure protection bills filed during the current Congress.