ISOG honors cyber leaders at 2024 awards

The Information Security Officers Group (ISOG) successfully hosted the second season of its Cybersecurity Excellence Awards at The Peninsula Manila, celebrating remarkable achievements in the cybersecurity field. Launched in 2022, the awards honor Filipino cyber leaders who exhibit outstanding leadership and have made significant contributions to information security, risk management, technology, and data privacy.

The 2024 ISOG Cybersecurity Awards recognized exemplary professionals across various categories, showcasing their commitment to advancing cybersecurity and setting industry standards. The winners are:

Best Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) / Information Security Head of the Year:

• Carlos T. Tengkiat, Chief Information Security Officer, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)
• Lt. Col. Rodrigo F. Quinto, Commanding Officer, Command Signal Battalion, Army Signal Regiment, Philippine Army
• Ariel Ben T. Senga, Senior Director, Information Security, TaskUs Philippines Inc.

Presented by Titanium Sponsors: Huawei, NM Network Manager Sales Inc., Cisco (through Trends), Sophos (through WSI), Sangfor (through WSI), F5 (through Westcon), Fortinet (through Netsec & VST-ECS), Eclypsium (through Netsec & MDI), TrendMicro (through CTLink & VST-ECS), Theos Cyber Solutions, Checkpoint, Rapid7

Best Chief Information Officer / Technology Officer / IT Head of the Year:

• Greg L. Romero, Chief Information Officer, Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCom)
• Ivan S. Buenaventura, Chief Information Officer, Manulife Philippines Inc.
• Carlos G. Santos, Chief Transformation and Technology Officer, AXA Philippines
• Alex A. Ustaris, CTO, Phinma Education Holdings, Inc.
• Edison T. Dungo, Director for Information Technology, Manila Doctors Hospital

Presented by Platinum Sponsors: Forcepoint, Pentera, KnowBe4, SecurityScorecard (through WSI), Palo Alto (through Trends & Westcon), Yubico (through WSI), Vectra (through Exclusive Networks), Netskope (through Exclusive Networks), Zscaler (through Westcon), Tehtris

Best Chief Risk Officer (CRO) / Risk Management Officer of the Year:

• Ma. Cristina M. Farol, Risk Management Head, Yuanta Savings Bank
• Julie W. Reyes, Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Maya Philippines, Inc.
• Christine C. Kempeneers, Enterprise Risk Management Head and Data Privacy Officer, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc.

Presented by Gold Sponsors: Tenable (through Westcon), Cyble (through Exclusive Networks), Gatewatcher (through Wallix & Bizsecure), Fortinet (through Netsec), Edgio (through WSI)

Best Data Protection Officer of the Year:

• Atty. Rommel T. Oquendo, Data Protection Officer, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company
• Maria Gay D. Advincula, CISO/DPO, Robinsons Bank Corporation (merged with BPI)
• Renie M. Sugano, Data Protection Officer, Philippine Clearing House Corp.
• Robert S. Paguia, Division Chief and Data Protection Officer, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center
• Atty. Laurice P. Esteban-Tuason, Senior Vice President & Corporate Compliance and Data Protection Officer, Converge ICT Solutions Inc.
• Calvert “Abet” M. Cabungcal, Group CIO and DPO, JDel Investments & Management Corp.

Presented by Silver Sponsors: Gigamon (through Westcon), Blancco, Arista (through Exclusive Networks), XM Cyber

“Our awardees serve as a reminder of what can be achieved through dedication, innovation, and a commitment to protecting our digital future. Let us celebrate excellence, innovation, and the spirit of collaboration that will lead us into a more secure future,” said ISOG President Archie Tolentino.

Each nominee underwent a rigorous screening process conducted by a distinguished panel of jurors, who brought extensive expertise in cybersecurity, risk management, and financial services. The panel included:

• USEC Atty. Maria Francesca M. Del Rosario, Undersecretary, Department of Budget and Management
• USEC Jeffrey Ian Dy, Undersecretary, Department of Information and Communications Technology
• Racquel B. Mañago, President, Bankers Institute of the Philippines Inc. (BAIPHIL)
• Raymond Reglos, President, ISACA Manila Chapter
• Ma. Efigenia F. Hufana, Board Trustee, Information Technology Institute of the Philippines (ITIP)
• Ronald Gonzales, President, Cloud Security Alliance Philippines
• Regino Magno, Chief Risk Officer and Deputy General Manager, Hua Nan Commercial Bank
• Jason Brasileno, Head of Fraud and Financial Crime, GoTyme Bank Philippines
• Philip Casanova, Partner and Cybersecurity Leader, SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV & Co.)
• Atty. Maria Angeline Tayag, Assistant Corporate Secretary, ISOG
• Miguel Santana, Board Trustee, ISOG
• Allan Malig, Board Trustee, ISOG
• Manuel Joey Regala, Chairman Emeritus and Board Trustee, ISOG

Their collective expertise ensured a thorough evaluation of each candidate, recognizing leaders who have made significant contributions to cybersecurity, risk management, and data privacy.

“As the field evolves, it is encouraging to see a growing number of individuals who push the boundaries of innovation and demonstrate remarkable dedication to protecting our digital landscape,” said ISOG Vice President and I Am Secure Cybersecurity Excellence Awards Chairman Chito Jacinto.

The event was organized by XMS and supported by media sponsors BusinessWorld, DigiPH, and Back End News.