3 PHL Container Ports Get Stamp of Approval in US Coast Guard Assessment

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Three of the country’s international container ports were found to have significantly improved in the conduct of the International Port Security Program (IPSP) Country Assessment by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) last 1-5 April 2019.

These ports are the Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC), Davao International Container Terminal (DICT), and the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade welcomed the positive security assessment given by the USCG, and promised to further improve security protocols in container terminals and seaports nationwide.

“We appreciate the USCG Team for the visit and the assessment, as this will give us the baseline for our security standards as maritime trading partners. We value all efforts that will futher enhance our interdependence leading to mutual prosperity,” the transportation chief said.

An in-country visit is conducted in all countries servicing US-flagged vessels engaged in international trade. This aims to facilitate sharing of port security best practices and development of mutual interests in securing ships coming in and out of the United States.

Included in a typical USCG visit are several observations such as port facility and vessel vulnerability assessment; security plan approval process leading to the issuance of an International Ship Security Certificate; and evaluation of security measures at a representative port or series of ports to verify compliance with the IPSP.

The USCG team provided its positive observations during the exit briefing held on 5 April 2019 at the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) in Pasay City. The briefing highlighted the exerted efforts of concerned parties in applying corrective measures on the observations reported on the said ports in 2015.

With this development, the USCG Team also pointed out areas that need to be improved in the said ports such as continuous monitoring of CCTVs; implementation of uniform security measures throughout the perimeter fence; employees Identification and Security Tags must bear expiry dates or have it color-coded; having a clear and direct communication link between the Port Facility Security Officer and ship's Security Officer; cargo Drivers should randomly be subjected to body search or inspection; and the improvement of security measures for Cruise Terminal Operation particularly in Subic.

“Our strong partneship with the U.S. Coast Guard bears proven positive results over the years. With this, we will continue to work hard to improve our security measures in our ports and carry on with this breakthrough. Rest assured, necessary steps will be taken for our ports to comply with the standards of the International Port Security Program,” Secretary Tugade said.

Present in the briefing were DOTr Assistant Secretary for Maritime Lino Dabi, on behalf of Secretary Tugade, OTS Deputy Administrator Miguel Oraa, Director for Transport Security Oversight and Compliance Service Gerardo Gambala and representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), MICT, DICT, and the SBITC.

Cyber Security: Threats That You Can Avoid

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The modern world is online from our everyday lives and social interactions to the way we run our businesses. The internet has opened up seemingly endless opportunities for communication and development, but it’s also brought a whole new world of criminality and risk. Cybersecurity threats can range from the mildly irritating or frustrating to attacks which threaten your data security, finances, and your reputation. However, many of these attacks are absolutely avoidable if you have the right protection and security procedures in place. In this guide, we’ll cover the most common cyber threats you need to be aware of and, crucially, how you can avoid them.

Phishing

Phishing is usually carried out via email. You or your staff may receive an email which may appear to be from someone you know or a business you recognize. In the email, you’ll be asked to take some sort of action such as sending money or sensitive information which can compromise your business. Sometimes, the email may ask you to click a link which is actually a harmful virus.

The key to avoiding phishing scams lies with you and your employees; you need to be vigilant when emails arrive which request information or appear suspicious. Never download attachments or click links from senders you do not recognize.

Malvertising

Malvertising is the placement of what appears to be an online advert on a website but is actually malware which will attack your system. In some cases, you don’t even need to click the advert; the act of loading the web page is enough to infect your computer.

To protect your computer from Malvertising, you need to ensure you carry out updates and install protection software.

Ransomware

Ransomware can be devastating to businesses and can be powerful enough to take down huge corporations and institutions. For example, in May 2017 the WannaCry ransomware attacked Microsoft Windows operating systems which had not carried out the latest update. It encrypted data and demanded ransom payments from major organizations such as the NHS and the BBC. While this attack took place on an international stage, ransomware can affect businesses and organizations of any size.

To defend your business against ransomware, you need to ensure that all your software and operating systems are up to date and that you have a back-up solution in case your data is attacked. You need to have a policy with a ransomware action plan in place, so your staff knows what to do should an attack occur. Consider a professional protection system such as McAfee Endpoint Security which protects a business’ mobile devices from cyber attacks.

Brute Force Attacks

A brute force attack is when a hacker attempts to access your files by working out your passwords. They don’t do this manually; there are tools and bots which take just a few hours to try thousands of passwords. It’s crucial to ensure that your passwords are complex and certainly don’t include your personal information such as date of birth. Use different passwords for different programs and accounts. A mix of numbers and letters is best and consider using unusual phrases rather than single words.

Philippines Asserts Position in IMO White List

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines, through the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), asserted its position in the revised “White List” of Parties to the STCW Convention prepared by the Secretariat of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), through an intervention during the 6th session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW6) held at the IMO Headquarters in London, United Kingdom from 29 April to 03 May 2019.

During the Sub-Committee's session on 30 April, the Philippine delegation, together with delegations from other Parties of the STCW Convention, raised issues and questions to the Sub-committee and the IMO Secretariat regarding the sudden review and preparation of a draft revised White List, the procedures of the said review, and the criteria for issuance of a revised list.

According to Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Officer-in-Charge Vice Admiral Narciso Vingson Jr, no white list has been officially issued by the IMO excluding the Philippines. But, to thresh out issues and concerns, the creation of a ‘Working Group’ was agreed upon, so as to review the consistency of evaluation, and the competency of those who would review.

“First, I would like to clarify that the IMO has not issued a 'White List' which does not include the Philippines. Nonetheless, it was agreed upon in one of the sessions that a TWG be established to work on all issues raised,” Vice Admiral Vingson said.

“The positive developments were attained due to the effort, commitment, and support of the entire team,” Vingson added.

For his part, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade welcomed the recent development, and challenged the MARINA to exert all the necessary efforts to prepare for the independent evaluation, which is part of the Philippines’ compliance as a Party to the STCW Convention.

In fact, before the delegation left for London, Secretary Tugade has directed the MARINA to ensure the country’s compliance with IMO standards to firmly secure the livelihood of thousands of Filipino seafarers.

“This is good news for our maritime industry and the entire country. May this be treated as a challenge so that the MARINA and other concerned agencies perform at their best to prepare accordingly for the Independent Evaluation. We need to make sure that we will exert all the necessary efforts, commitment and support to make this next mission successful,” Secretary Tugade said.

“Trabaho at kinabukasan ng libu-libong marino at kani-kanilang mga pamilya ang nakasalalay dito. Sa katunayan, buong Pilipinas ang umaasa sa atin. Kailangang siguraduhin natin na hindi sila mabibigo,” Tugade added.

In response, VAdm Vingson reaffirmed MARINA’s unwavering commitment to do its utmost to maintain the country’s status in the IMO White List.

“We accept the challenge of the Secretary. Rest assured that the MARINA remains fully committed to steadily sustain the Philippines’ full compliance with the STCW Convention. We will continue to do everything we can to maintain our status in the IMO White List,” the MARINA OIC Administrator said.

“All necessary steps to consistently improve the country’s maritime education, training, examination, and assessment system are being undertaken and prioritized,” Vingson added.

The so-called “White List” refers to a list of parties confirmed by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) to have communicated information that demonstrates full and complete effect to the relevant provisions of the STCW.

Earlier this year, there have been false reports stating the Philippines’ alleged exclusion from the IMO White List, which unfortunately generated undue panic to over 400,000 seafarers and their families.

The Philippine delegation to the HTW6 that delivered the intervention was headed by MARINA OIC Administrator Narciso Vingson Jr., together with other MARINA representatives from the STCW Office, Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Association of Maritime Training Centers, Inc. (PAMTCI), and the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP).