Protect 2018 Is Happening From March 12-13

The Philippines’ largest annual security conference kicks off this year at the New World Hotel in Makati from March 12 to 13. The Protect series is one of the longest running local events dedicated to business risks and counter-terrorism. This year’s itinerary was designed to bring together the c-suite and the g-suite, where private sector executives rub elbows with their counterparts in government.

The 13th installment of Protect features a two-day agenda packed with morning and afternoon sessions with sumptuous lunch breaks in between. 21st Century Asian Arms Race (21AAR) is a media partner for Protect 2018.

Below is the full schedule prepared by the organizers Leverage International.

The overall theme for this year’s Protect is “Science and Technology: the key to a more secure and safe tomorrow.” The organizers even identified four main topics for attendees to discuss, these are cybersecurity, natural disaster response, defending the Internet of Things (IoT), and the relationship between social media and terrorism.

The first day of Protect 2018 will have morning and afternoon sessions. The former is a detailed briefing delivered by a half dozen subject matter experts on “Global Upheavals That Will Affect Business,” including speakers from IBM, Trend Micro, and news site Rappler. The latter session is full of cybersecurity experts who are going to weigh in on business risks. Networking cocktails are scheduled to begin from six in the evening onward.

The second day of Protect 2018 is occupied by the last two sessions on “Business Resilience For Business Continuity” and “Security And War In The New Age.” The latter features a colorful lineup of speakers, including the terrorism expert Dr. Rohan Gunaratna, Counsellor Menek Dilsen Seymenoglu from the Turkish Embassy, and National Security Adviser Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperon. The conference program officially ends after lunch.

Another highlight of Protect 2018 is a mini exhibition within the venue where multiple companies are displaying their products and giving technical presentations. The CEO of Leverage International, Cecilia Sanchez, expects a diverse crowd to attend the show. These include security professionals of every type, consultants and managers, and –according to a press release–“anyone concerned with security and safety.”

Protect 2018 is a rare venue where attendees are given a broad outlook of the threat landscape specific to the Philippines and its region. Similar conferences are almost non-existent in the country. Registrations for Protect 2018 remain open and those who wish to participate can reach out via email or phone: 810-1389 and 813-2473.