Manila, July 16 -- The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the signing of Executive Order (EO) 119 moves the Philippines toward stronger government data protection while creating a more predictable environment for digital infrastructure investments.

"Data is the foundation of our digital future. We must protect critical government information while ensuring that the Philippines remains open to innovation, cloud technologies, and global digital partnerships," DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said in a statement on Thursday.

EO 119, titled "Updating the Government Data Classification, Establishing a Data Residency Framework, and for Other Purposes," updates a data classification policy that has been in place sin...