Discovery Country Suites proudly introduces its newest addition to the family: Executive Chef Jayjay Sycip. Leading the team behind Restaurant Verbena’s delectable offerings, his vast knowledge and experience is sure to stimulate growth towards sustainable, hearty dishes that are sure to satisfy the taste buds of loyal patrons.
Chef Jayjay is proficient in Classical French, Mediterranean, American, and Asian Cuisines, around which he builds concepts and develops them all the way through operations. An expert in the field, he will supervisevarious culinary aspects including menu development, kitchen workflow, management, research, and strategy.
Since 2008, Chef Jayjay has worked in the kitchen as achef, and recipe consultant for several hotels and restaurants. He even co-produced and co-hosted a travel cooking show for a few years. In his early years in the industry, Chef Jayjay was always looking into the trends—following what was cool and new—but these days he’s more into mastering the classics and really enhancing it.
As he takes on the role as new executive chef ofRestaurant Verbena, Chef Jayjay looks into sustainability—sourcing fresh, quality ingredients from the local farms in Tagaytay. His direction is headed towards knowing where his food is coming from, as well as supporting the local farmers of Tagaytay.
With over a decade’s experience, Chef Jayjay is eager to set on a new journey of teaching, learning, and a good deal of cooking at Restaurant Verbena of Discovery Country Suites Tagaytay.
Restaurant Verbena is located in Discovery Country Suites, along 300 Calamba Road, San Jose, Tagaytay City, 4120 Philippines.
For inquiries and reservations, call (02) 5298172, email reservations@dcs.discovery.com.ph or visit http://www.discoverycountrysuites.com.
June 12- The day we attained freedom will always be a chapter worth remembering for each and every Filipinos. And as much as it is observed nationwide, SM Bulacan Malls prepared an exciting yet meaningful line of events to pay tribute to our land’s well fought Independence.
Bulakeños will sing a new hymn of freedom this June 12 as SM City Baliwag and SM City Marilao celebrates Original Filipino Music with its P-Pop Fest happening at the Mall Atrium. Homegrown artist Terence and Marguax will belt out best of OPM songs while in SM City Baliwag, the search is on for the most talented Bulakenyo. Calling all musically inclined individuals with a Pinoy heart, SM City Baliwag is holding the contest open to all participants.
With a performance relevant to Independence Day theme, interested folks may sing any song in Filipino may it be acapella, with minus one or with instrument as accompaniment. Joining is easy! Participants need to present Php 1,500.00 single or accumulated receipt purchase from May 26 to June 9, 2018, from any SM City Baliwag tenants/ establishments. Registration is ongoing until June 9, 2018 up to 12noon only.
To better express their nationalistic pieces, performers will be given a maximum time of 5 minutes to serenade the audience. An exciting array of prizes await winning acts for as much as P10, 000 worth of SM GCs for the first place, P7, 000 worth of SM GCs for the second place and P5,000 worth of SM GCs for the third place.
For complete details on contest mechanics you may contact SM City Baliwag at (044) 761-0736/ 761-0723. Also like and follow SMCityBaliwag on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for event and promo updates.
Mall goers will also be able to get revolutionary discounts on great items during SM City Baliwag and SM City Marilao’s Pinoy Smile Sale. Celebrate your freedom to shop and get as much as 70% off on great finds this June 12. A special discount on Pinoy food are likewise offered to shoppers on June 1-12 with the Eats Pinoy!
SM Malls in San Jose Del Monte, Marilao, Baliwag and Pulilan will also celebrate Philippine Independence by holding a simultaneous flag raising on Tuesday. This event is an annual celebration participated by employees, tenants and shoppers of each malls as well as the communities in which SM serves.
Apart from the simultaneous flag raising, a series of cultural show will follow to commemorate the 120th Philippine Independence. Festive and vibrant musical dance parade will be performed live by the First City Providential College Baliktanaw Performing Arts at SM City San Jose Del Monte. Exhibits, iconic and unique centerpieces will be unveiled at SM City Marilao and SM City Baliwag.
James Deakin is wearing TechnoMarine UF6 Swiss Chronograph 48mm Gold Stainless Steel Men’s Watch
James Deakin is a man who wears many hats. Who doesn’t recognize him? He’s a TV anchor, event host, motoring advocate, blogger, and social media personality. But with his multifaceted persona and the hectic schedule that he keeps, it’s his being a family man, a loving husband and father to three kids, two boys and a girl, that he values the most. It is no wonder then that Technomarine chose to honor James, a truly exemplary dad, this Father’s Day.
“Time, it’s the most precious commodity,” Deakin relates when asked about the biggest challenge of being a father. “The harder you work, the more successful you become, the more time becomes precious. So it gets very hard to find that balance.”
His daily schedule can become as erratic as the next, starting as early as 5 am. As someone who doesn’t keep a regular office job, making time for his family is indeed a challenge, one that he doesn’t back down from. But there are compromises, he admits, especially since he has to work to earn a living for his wife and his growing brood.
“It’s very hard to manage time, which is why I actually have someone else to do that for me,” Deakin says. “If you get too emotionally invested [in] your schedule, you tend to make the wrong decisions.”
Thus, James makes sure that his weekends are kept free and devoted solely to family time. He is grateful too that his wife Shelly is there to pick up the slack, to manage the day-to-day affairs of the household and take care of his kids while he is abroad. “She’s a wonderful mom and an extremely understanding wife.”
He also makes sure that they take off to the beach during the holiday season up until the New Year. They have done so for the past 18 years, each time a priceless and memorable bonding experience.
Another memorable moment was being able to take his family abroad to Australia. “Going overseas with them was really nice,” Deakin says. “That’s the goal: to do family vacations overseas that’s not attached to work, like take 5 or 6 days off. I really want to do a cruise.”
When asked about his parenting style, James is quick to admit that he’s hardly a strict father. “We give them a lot of leeway,” he says, “We don’t put a lot of pressure on them at all.” He would, therefore, like to be remembered as being a flexible, easygoing, and cool dad.
Still, he finds that being honest with his kids is very important, and he draws the line with alcohol and substance abuse. “We don’t sugarcoat. I want to equip them with the tools to make the proper decisions so they will know the consequences of their actions. “
And as for his advice to other dads, James turns sentimental.
“Don’t strive for perfection as we live in an imperfect world. Strive instead for honesty and love,” he says. “Be forgiving and teach them about forgiveness. Set an example.”
Indeed, as James shows us, time is truly valuable. And with TechnoMarine bringing meaning and joy to fatherhood, as you build wonderful memories with your loved ones, there’s simply no time to wait
Ma. Criselda “Shayne” Garcia Madamba is the new Chief Digital Officer of Havas Ortega. She will drive the company’s digital products to meet the needs of their clients as they take the next quantum leap in the digital space.
With her rich experience from media planning to business development and performance marketing, her role at Havas Ortega is to propel all digital operations. She will lead the following pure player brands of the Agency: Socialyse, a digital integrated social media solution which combines owned, earned, paid and shared social media activities for audiences to be engaged; Affiperf, the programmatic pure player that combines the best of technology with data savvy human expertise to provide solutions; and Ecselis, a business specialized on online performance marketing that aims to increase the possibilities for prospect conversions through tracking and analytics.
Shayne has been in the media business for more than 16 years. Her advertising journey began at Starcom followed by other notable companies in the industry such as Carat, UM, Mediacom, iProspect, and now with Havas Ortega. She has received national and international accolades. She led her former agency to a Silver award for Campaign Asia’s Digital Agency of the Year in 2017. She was also named into the exclusive ’40 Under 40 List’ in APAC also by Campaign Asia last 2016.
Hermie de Leon, Managing Partner of Havas Ortega and CEO of Havas Media Group says, “Many clients are undergoing massive digital transformations. We need to re-define the role of agencies in the new ecosystem. We brought in Shayne to lead this change.”
Thoughts on her big career move, “My journey with iProspect will always play a huge role in my agency career since it was like home to me for six years. However, this time I am opening a new chapter in my life and I hope our industry will embrace me with this new adventure. No words can contain how honored and privileged I am to join Havas Ortega as Chief Digital Officer. I sincerely thank Vishnu Mohan, Jos Ortega, Hermie de
Leon, and Tonypet Sarmiento for believing in my capabilities. I am more than excited to teach and learn from my team in the long run as there is always something new in the information age.”
Aside from her advertising life, Shayne is also passionate about education. She has spent years teaching in UP Diliman and UP Manila. She is also a regular subject-matter-expert at the Certified Digital Marketer Program and would give several talks in multiple marketing events locally and abroad.
Launching in Asia: RELIFE, a revolutionary new approach to medical aesthetics
MANILA, Philippines – June 2018 – Calling all fearless Filipinas – it’s time to join the confidence movement, by embracing and expressing beauty according to one’s own terms.
By fusing the science and art of beauty, women can have a better grasp of the possibilities they face. Stepping up to this is Menarini, Italy’s largest bio-pharmaceutical company with more than 130 years of medical experience, which has developed a revolutionary new approach to medical aesthetics. They took to heart the innovation and insights that bring life to the confidence movement, and the Menarini Group eventually launched RELIFE, a new worldwide company that specialises in dermatology and aesthetic medicine.
With its global headquarters in Florence, Italy; the cradle of the Renaissance; RELIFE draws on its dual scientific and artistic heritage to create beauty. Its science-based products and treatment protocols reflect its scientific heritage while the company’s concept of conscious innovation embodies its artistic heritage. “Gone are the days when women are ashamed or afraid to try new products and even cosmetic procedures. Filipinas are very particular about how they look, and they want to be sure that they go for the best especially when it comes to their body.” says Menarini Group’s Medical Affairs Doctor, Dr. Grace Nilo. “Now that the Menarini Group has arrived in the Philippines, we’re here to provide revolutionary aesthetic medicine that will empower people to be the most beautiful and confident versions of themselves”.
Showing the beauty within.
RELIFE believes the skin mirrors your well-being. That’s why RELIFE offers healthcare practitioners (HCPs) a holistic approach to aesthetic medicine giving a natural-looking, youthful appearance. This is achieved with a combination of unique products and treatment techniques developed in collaboration with leading HCPs/ specialists and the global scientific community. RELIFE will always listen to the needs of patients and HCPs, to provide the best-in-class product and value-added support services. The RELIFE aesthetic range consist of two core products:
Happy Lift suspension threads
Happy Lift is a patented line of absorbable, monofilament, suspension barbed threads designed to lift and hold soft and/or sagging facial tissues for a refreshed look and more defined facial contours. Happy Lift is made of unique materials poly-L-lactic acid and caprolactone. Unlike some conventional sutures which are smooth, Happy Lift threads have tiny barbs. Once inserted into the skin, these tiny barbs stimulate the fibroblasts to synthesize the extracellular matrix and collagen in the skin that act as scaffolding to lift and hold soft facial tissues in place, giving longer-lasting results than most other kinds of sutures.
SKINFILL hyaluronic acid fillers
SKINFILL is developed based on the patented COESIX® Plus technology, an effective cross-linking technology that allows the filler to be optimally balanced between duration and moldability. SKINFILL is made of hyaluronic acid, which is naturally occurring in the human body and cross-linked with butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE) for increased stability. Together with collagen and elastin, hyaluronic acid is responsible for the skin’s youthful appearance. SKINFILL is used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, restore lost volume, and reshape facial features
Conscious Innovation
RELIFE provides HCPs with the knowledge, training, and products they need to cater to their patients’ desires while adhering to a standardised educational platform ICME (Innovation and Consciousness in Medical Education). RELIFE prides itself on being a brand patients and HCPs can rely on and trust to:
1. Provide patient-centred care with a science-based approach
2. Develop and manufacture safe and effective products
3. Work with HCPs to bring conscious innovation and solutions to meet patients’ needs
4. Partner with scientific and medical communities to develop and deliver continuous medical education
Passing on the smiles
As RELIFE begins its launch in six key Asia-Pacific markets this year, they have commissioned a series of seven paintings called the Masterpieces of Beauty by a rising star in the Asian art world, Monica Hapsari. All the paintings will incorporate Asian perceptions of beauty tastefully combined with the Renaissance concepts of science and art. At the end of each of the i-DASS launch events in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, all the paintings from the Masterpieces of Beauty series will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to Smile Train, a global alliance of charities working together to share beauty and happiness by giving children with cleft lip and cleft palate back their smiles and confidence.
To find out more about Smile Train in the Philippines, please visit www.smiletrain.ph/
A plaque of appreciation was given by David Abrenilla, Organizer of the Philippine SME Business Expo and CEO of Mediacom Solutions (4th from left) to LBC, received by their Sales and Marketing Manager of Philippine Operations Dale Camandang (5th from left) This is the first time LBC Retail participated in the said expo.
LBC showed its inimitable strength once more in retail and corporate cargo, money remittance and logistics services when it took part in the SME Business Expo 2018 held at the SMX Mall of Asia recently. The exhibit allowed LBC to showcase how adept they are in helping small and medium scale enterprises and e-commerce merchants make their operations as seamless as possible.
Dale Camandang, LBC Sales and Marketing Manager, Philippine Operations, says the company has always had a soft spot for SMEs who have achieved their goals through sheer passion and hard work. “It makes us proud that we at LBC have the means to assist them in sustaining their individual ventures. We believe that a business needs more than a vision and inspiration, it needs a full end to end platform that is both highly integrated and highly agile. This is the thrust of LBC Payment Solutions”, says Camandang.
LBC Payment Solutions integrates payment and cargo and logistic services to offer an end to end platform in the market.
One such service is LBC Paycollect which allows sellers to use LBC branches as the payment center of their buyers with low remittance fees. Then for customers who want to return a purchased item, any LBC branch can simply serve as a conduit under the Returns and Refunds facility. On top of taking care of the refund, LBC will be the one to deliver the returned item right at your doorstep.
Going a step beyond, LBC also offers Payroll Disbursement. Under this, LBC can handle the disbursement of payroll to employees, thus enabling them to receive their salary at any of their branches. But this service is not only limited to payroll. LBC can also expend loans, employee’s allowance or commissions, and insurances and any type of cash payouts.
With the array of Payment Solutions being offered by LBC, SMEs can be assured that they have an ally they can trust with running the nitty gritty of their business while they focus on maximizing the potential of their respective enterprises. To know more about about the LBC Payment Solutions and for inquiries, please contact LBC_paymentsolution@lbcexpress.com.
Summer may be coming to an end, but don’t worry! GetGo has lined up the best and most exciting deals to help you plan and book that much-awaited getaway with your friends and family.
Members are up for hotter adventures as GetGo’s hotel and travel partners roll out its rewarding promos to let you take your friends and family to the most beautiful places inside and outside of the city. All you need to do is provide your GetGo number during booking and present any proof of membership that indicates your GetGo number plus a valid ID upon check in to instantly enjoy exclusive member rewards such as discounts and points!
Mark your calendars for an amazing and relaxing weekend staycation with GetGo’s exclusive hotel offers. Members can enjoy up to 70% off on bookings for a more rewarding experience.
Craving for some vitamin sea? Drive your way to the beautiful south and indulge in the stunning view of crystal clear waters when you book a stay in Vivere Azure in Anilao, Batangas. You can also delight in world-class service and accommodation at Vivere Hotel Alabang. Members can redeem up to 70% off on bookings with Vivere Hotels, valid until March 11, 2019.
See the charm of Panglao Island in Bohol and delight in breathtaking sights of its beach at the shores of The Bellevue Resort Bohol. Experience both comfort and luxury at the center of Alabang when you head down to The Bellevue Manila. GetGo members can take advantage of room discounts up to 65% until November 30, 2018 at The Bellevue Hotels.
Want to enjoy the vibrant city life? Live right at the heart of Makati’s central business and entertainment districts and enjoy 60% off on room rates until March 12, 2019 at Best Western Oxford Suites. It is conveniently located within walking distances from malls, museums, and parks so you can make the most out of your staycation. Members can also experience a luxurious staycation at Hotel Celeste as it offers as much as 45% discounts for reservations until March 6, 2019.
Looking for some time away from the hustle and bustle of the city? Pack your bags and drive to Orchid Garden Suites in Malate, Manila. Tucked along the streets of Vito Cruz, this boutique hotel impresses guests with its classic charm and welcoming ambiance. Likewise, this hotel has a rich history to share and GetGo members can discover it for themselves when they book rooms with up to 45% off until March 11, 2019.
GetGo members can also have a relaxing staycation while earning points to #FlyForFree when booking with the program’s hotel partners. Enjoy affordable and comfortable accommodation at Go Hotels and Summit Hotels and collect 2 points per P100 spend. Every qualifying stay at the world-class rooms of Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria also rewards members with a GetGo point. See the wonders of the different places in the Philippines when you visit Taal Vista Hotel, Pico Sands Hotel, Radisson Blu Cebu, Park Inn by Radisson Clark, or Park Inn by Radisson Davao and earn up to 500 GetGo points.
Likewise, eager wanderlusts and wide-eyed travelers can go on more trips and collect points for their next adventure with GetGo’s travel partners. Thousands of hotel rooms at the best deals await members who will book with Agoda and Kaligo where they can get up to 10,000 points per booking. Explore local destinations with Travelbook.ph and earn a point per P10 spend. Never miss the opportunity to update your social media when you roam with Traveling Connect and enjoy GetGo points. You can also complete your travel itinerary with mountain hikes and unconventional tours with Klook, Trail Adventours, and Experience Philippines and get additional points per P100 spend.
For more chances of collecting points faster, members can use any of their Cebu Pacific GetGo Cards by UnionBank to turn everyday purchases into exciting free Cebu Pacific flights!
So call your loved ones, pack your bags, and get going to your next travel destination. With GetGo’s enticing deals and promos, members can definitely enjoy a rewarding vacation like no other.
For more information on memberships and partnerships, visit www.getgo.com.ph. Stay updated on the latest promos by liking GetGoPH’s official pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Swan Beauty & Wellness Spa sets itself apart from any other wellness establishments with its revolutionary treatments after launching its grand opening debut last April. 28, 2018 held at the Swire Elan Suites Greenhills, San Juan City.
Lot Ito, CEO and Founder for Swan Beauty & Wellness Spa, promises a wide array of services from non-surgical to surgical treatment from skin care, salon, manicure, pedicure to nose lift, liposuction and such that will be provided by hand-picked professionals.
“Right now we have a good force of people we have the senior hairstylist na experienced na talaga for 20 years we have the junior stylist for the spa they have their trainings,” explained Ms. Aimee Sansait, Marketing head.
Swan Beauty & Wellness spa takes pride with their hair coloring, highlighting the Chocolate Hair Treatment.
Beauty products from Japan and US will surely satisfied the costumers’ needs as the Spa uses the most high-end imported beauty treatments and other hair services.
Aside from the hair treatments, they also offer wellness satisfaction by their highly skilled and professional doctors specialized in dermatology, they offer services like warts removal and other facial services.
Swan Beauty & Wellness Spa is really a must try, from hair, skin care and many more!
They offer a lot of packages you can choose from and you’ll definitely pleasure yourself with their services while enjoying the most accommodating people and the most relaxing experience ever!
The spa will start its service from 10am to 4pm, Mondays to Fridays.
Shopee shares top 5 tips on how you can be like your favorite basketball star
It’s the NBA season! Filipino basketball fans are on their toes cheering for their respective NBA team. Though some might just be happy with cheering, others aspire to be part of famous basketball associations one day. However, we all know just how intense the off-season training sessions of our favorite NBA players are, so Shopee is here to share five tips to help you be just like your favorite basketball star!
Boost your protein
Eating a high amount of protein often goes hand in hand with having an active lifestyle. As an important building block of your whole body, your body and muscles use protein to repair tissues and provide energy. Shopee offers the best deals on health and weight supplements that will help your body get the most needed energy. Fuel your body!
Push your limits
You are stronger than you think. Staying in your comfort zone is not the key to achieving your goals. Shopee offers a speed training chute that can help every aspiring basketball player build those muscles and run faster. Get up and test your limits!
Gear up
Start your training by dressing the part. Get yourself a brand new basketball jersey, knee and ankle pads, socks and training shoes to help you play like a star athlete on the court! Choose from a wide variety of sports gear available on Shopee to improve your game and protect yourself from injuries.
Track your steps
It is important for athletes to keep track of their training routine so that they can keep their body in the best condition. Athletes usually use a fitness tracker to help track their steps, calories burned, distance travelled, and heart rate. Get yourself a smartwatch that can help you keep up-to-date with your health and weight. Shopee features hundreds of affordable and top-of-the-class fitness trackers for you to choose from.
Practice! Practice! Practice!
Every great point guard in the NBA trains extra hard on their dribbling skills. Master your ball handling and dribbling skills to be at the top of your game. Get yourself a brand new basketball from Spalding’s official store on Shopee for the best deals.
Shopee is also celebrating the NBA season with its Sports Week campaign from June 1 – 5, offering great deals from its Sports category. Sports fans can look forward to getting discounts on items such as health supplements, fitness trackers, sports equipment, and apparel.
Microsoft and Frost & Sullivan Study reveals that:
• A large-sized organization in the Philippines can possibly incur an economic loss of US$7.5million, more than 200 times the average economic loss for a mid-sized organization
• Cybersecurity attacks have led to job losses inseven in ten (72%) organizations over the last year
• Cybersecurity concerns delay Digital Transformation plans
• Organizations are increasingly leveraging Artificial Intelligence to enhance their cybersecurity strategy
Sullivan study commissioned by Microsoft revealed that the potentialeconomic loss in the Philippines due to cybersecurity incidents can hit a staggeringUS$3.5 billion. This is 1.1 percent of the Philippines’ total GDP of US$305 billion.
The study, titled “Understanding the Cybersecurity Threat Landscape in Asia Pacific: Securing the Modern Enterprise in a Digital World”, aims to provide business and IT decision makers with insights on the economic cost of cybersecurity breaches in the region and identify the gaps in organizations’ cybersecurity strategies. The study involved a survey of 1,300 business and IT decision makers ranging from mid-sized organizations (250 to 499 employees) to large-sized organizations (>than 500 employees).
The study reveals that more than half of the organizationssurveyed in the Philippines have either experienced a cybersecurity incident (18%) or are not sure if they had one as they have not performed proper forensics or data breach assessment (34%).
“As companies embrace the opportunities presented by cloud and mobile computing to connect with customers and optimize operations, they take on new risks,” said Hans Bayaborda, Managing Director, Microsoft Philippines.“With traditional IT boundaries disappearing the adversariesnow have many new targets to attack. Companies face the risk of significant financial loss, damage to customer satisfaction and market reputation — as has been made all too clear by recent high-profile breaches.”
The True Cost of Cybersecurity Incidents – Economic, Opportunity and Job Losses
The study revealed that:
• A large-sized organization in the Philippines can possibly incur an economic loss of US$7.5 million, more than 200 times higher than the average economic loss for a mid-sized organization(US$35,000); and
• Cybersecurity attacks have resulted in job losses across different functions in seven in ten (72%) organizations that have experienced an incident over the last 12 months.
To calculate the cost of cybercrime, Frost & Sullivan has created an economic loss model based on macro-economic data and insights shared by the survey respondents. This model factors in three kinds of losses which could be incurred due to a cybersecurity breach:
• Direct: Financial losses associated with acybersecurity incident – this includes loss of productivity, fines, remediation cost, etc;
• Indirect: The opportunity cost to the organizationsuch as customer churn due to reputation loss; and
• Induced: The impact of cyber breach to the broader ecosystem and economy, such as the decrease in consumer and enterprise spending.
“Although the direct losses from cybersecurity breaches are most visible, they are but just the tip of the iceberg,” said Edison Yu, Vice President and Asia Pacific Head of Enterprise for Frost & Sullivan. “There are many other hidden losses that we have to consider from both the indirect and induced perspectives, and the economic loss for organizations suffering from cybersecurity attacks can be often underestimated.”
In addition to financial losses, cybersecurity incidents are also undermining the Philippines organizations’ ability to capture future opportunities in today’s digital economy, with more than half (57%) respondents stating that their enterprise has put off digital transformation efforts due to the fear of cyber-risks.
Key Cyberthreats and Gaps in the PhilippinesOrganizations’ Cybersecurity Strategies
Although high-profile cyberattacks, such as ransomware, have been garnering a lot of attention from enterprises, the study found that for organizations in the Philippines that have encountered cybersecurity incidents, data exfiltrationand data corruption are the biggest concern as they have the highest impact with the slowest recovery time.
Besides external threats, the research also revealed key gaps in organizations’ cybersecurity approach to protect their digital estate:
• Security an afterthought: Only 44% oforganizations consider cybersecurity before the start of a digital transformation project. Majority of respondents (56%) either think about cybersecurity only after they start on the project or do not consider it at all. This limits their ability to conceptualize and deliver a “secure-by-design” project, potentially leading to insecure products going out into the market;
• Creating a Complex Environment: Negating the popular belief that deploying a large portfolio of cybersecurity solutions will render stronger protection, the survey revealed that 17% of respondents with more than 50 cybersecurity solutions could recover from cyberattacks within an hour. In contrast, more than twice as manyrespondents (38%) with fewer than 10 cybersecurity solutions responded that they can recover from cyberattacks within an hour; and
• Lacking cybersecurity strategy: While more and more organizations are considering digital transformation to gain competitive advantage, the study has shown that 46% of respondents see cybersecurity strategy only as a means to safeguard the organization against cyberattacks rather than a strategic business enabler. A mere 25% of organizations see cybersecurity strategy as a digital transformation enabler.
“The ever-changing threat environment is challenging, but there are ways to be more effective using the right blend of modern technology, strategy, and expertise,” added Hans. “Microsoft is empowering businesses in the Philippines to take advantage of digital transformation by enabling them to embrace the technology that’s available to them, securelythrough its secure platform of products and services, combined with unique intelligence and broad industry partnerships.”
Artifical Intelligence (AI) is the Next Frontier in Cybersecurity Defense
In a digital world where cyberthreats are constantly evolving and attack surface is rapidly expanding, AI is becoming a potent opponent against cyberattacks as it can detect and act on threat vectors based on data insights. The study reveals that more than almost four in five (79%)organizations in the Philippines have either adopted or are looking to adopt an AI approach towards boosting cybersecurity.
AI’s ability to rapidly analyze and respond to unprecedented quantities of data is becoming indispensable in a world where cyberattacks’ frequency, scale and sophistication continue to increase.
An AI-driven cybersecurity architecture will be more intelligent and be equipped with predictive abilities to allow organizations to fix or strengthen their security posture before problems emerge. It will also grant companies with the capabilities to accomplish tasks, such as identifying cyberattacks, removal of persistent threats and fixing bugs, faster than any human could, making it an increasingly vital element of any organizations’ cybersecurity strategy.
Recommendations for securing the modern enterprise in a digital world
AI is but one of the many aspects that organizations need to incorporate or adhere to in order to maintain a robust cybersecurity posture. For a cybersecurity practice to be successful, organizations need to consider People, Process and Technology, and how each of these contributes to the overall security posture of the organization.
To help organizations better withstand and respond to cyberattacks and malware infections, here are five best practices that they can consider in improving their defense against cybersecurity threats:
• Position cybersecurity as a digital transformation enabler: Disconnect between cybersecurity practices and digital transformation effort creates a lot of frustration for the employees. Cybersecurity is a requirement for digital transformation to guide and keep the company safe through its journey. Conversely, digital transformation presents an opportunity for cybersecurity practices to abandon aging practices to embrace new methods of addressing today’s risks;
• Continue to invest in strengthening your security fundamentals: Over 90% of cyber incidents can be averted by maintaining the most basic best practices. Maintaining strong passwords, conditional use of multi-factor authentication against suspicious authentications, keeping device operating systems, software and anti-malware protection up-to-date and genuine can rapidly raise the bar against cyberattacks. This should include not just tool-sets but also training and policies to support a stronger fundamental;
• Maximize skills and tools by leveraging integrated best-of-suite tools. The best tools are useless in the hands of the amateur. Reduce the number of tools and the complexity of your security operations to allow your operators to hone their proficiency with the available tools. Prioritizing best-of-suite tools is a great way to maximize your risk coverage without the risk of introducing too many tools and complexity to the environment. This is especially true if tools within the suite are well-integrated to take advantage of their counterparts;
• Assessment, review and continuous compliance: The organization should be in a continuous state of compliance. Assessments and reviews should be conducted regularly to test for potential gaps that may occur as the organization is rapidly transforming and address these gaps. The board should keep tab on not just compliance to industry regulations but also how the organization is progressing against security best practices; and
• Leverage AI and automation to increase capabilities and capacity: With security capabilities in short supply, organizations need to look to automation and AI to improve the capabilities and capacity of their security operations. Current advancements in AI has shown a lot of promise, not just in raising detections that would otherwise be missed but also in reasoning over how the various data signals should be interpreted with recommended actions. Such systems have seen great success in cloud implementations where huge volumes of data can be processed rapidly. Ultimately, leveraging automation and AI can free up cybersecurity talents to focus on higher-level activities.
To better understand the cyberthreats happening globally and in Asia Pacific, please download the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report Volume 23 here: https://info.microsoft.com/ww-landing-Security-Intelligence-Report-Vol-23-Landing-Page-eBook.html
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About the “Understanding the Cybersecurity Threat Landscape in Asia Pacific: Securing the Modern Enterprise in a Digital World” Study
This study involved a survey conducted with 1,300 respondents from 13 markets – Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.
All respondents are business and IT decision-makers involved in shaping their organizations’ cybersecurity strategies. 44% of them being business decision-makers, including CEOs, COOs and Directors, while 56% are IT decision-makers, including CIOs, CISO and IT Directors. 29% of participants are from mid-sized organizations (250 to 499 staff); and 71% are from large-sized organizations (more than 500 staff)
Microsoft and Frost & Sullivan Study reveals that: