Our country is still set into reconciling with our Chinese brothers as the events that happened over a month ago at the Scarborough shoal is awaiting progress.
The arrest of Chinese fishing vessels that were captured by our Navy forces after illegally amassing a huge number of endangered marine resources from the shoal has brought us a month-long maritime dispute with China. Overtime, China has shown their firm regard over their right to claim the shoal and even insists that there was no intrusion done on their side.
Though the diplomatic settlement seems a bit dawdling, several attacks have already been made through each nation’s computer networks; as websites from each country are hacked through various means leaving several government agencies with a defaced website and totally inaccessible to the unwary public.
Last May 10, PAGASA’s (Philippines Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Agency) website was hacked. The main page was replaced with the message: “Hacked by Net user!Just fun a fun !!Team :X-f**k! E-mail:794399786@qq.com!”
Despite the inconvenience, an alternate website http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/ will serve as an alternate online portal for the public. The agency’s ICT team is currently restoring the website to its original imagery and contents.
Almost a month ago, UP (University of the Philippines) website in Diliman, Quezon City was also hacked. A message written in Chinese and English characters was posted on the university website motioning the Philippines to leave Panatag shoal. UP students retaliated by hacking several Chinese websites.
Government websites such as the Official Gazette, the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office, the Presidential Museum and Library, and the Department of Budget and Management were also briefly hacked after the attack on the UP website.
Our nation’s government should make haste in resolving this issue before matters get worse.
How long will we wait for each side to finally conclude their seemingly unending furore? Many will suffer if both nations plan to go to war. I hope we will not be victims of a battle that we cannot win. I do not dream to live a life in a battle ground.
