National Privacy Commission (Philippines)

National Privacy Commission
Komisyon para sa Proteksiyon ng Personal na Impormasyon
Agency overview
Formed March 7, 2016
Headquarters GSIS Building, Pasay City
Agency executives
  • Raymund E. Liboro, Commissioner
  • Ivy D. Patdu, Deputy Privacy Commissioner
  • Damian Domingo O. Mapa, Deputy Privacy Commissioner
Website privacy.gov.ph

The National Privacy Commission, or NPC, is an independent body created under Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012,[1] mandated to administer and implement the provisions of the Act, and to monitor and ensure compliance of the country with international standards set for data protection.[2] It is attached to the Philippines' Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for purposes of policy coordination, but remains independent in the performance of its functions.[3] The Commission safeguards the fundamental human right of every individual to privacy, particularly Information privacy while ensuring free flow of information for innovation, growth, and national development.[4]

In order to fulfil its mandate, the Commission is vested with a broad range of powers, from receiving complaints and instituting investigations on matters affecting personal data protection to compelling entities to abide by its orders in matters affecting data privacy. It also represents the Philippine Government internationally on data protection related issues. The Commission formulates and implements policies relating to the protection of personal data, including the relevant circulars and advisory guidelines, to assist organisations in understanding and complying with the Data Privacy Act. The Commission also reviews organizational actions in relation to data protection rules and issue decisions or directions for compliance where necessary. It is mandated to work with relevant sector regulators in exercising its functions.

Beyond regulating data protection issues, the NPC also undertakes public and sector-specific educational and outreach activities[5] to help organizations adopt good data protection practices and to help individuals to better understand how they may protect their own personal data from misuse.

History

With rising concerns by the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) of an absence of a Data Privacy Law, Philippine Congress passed Senate Bill No. 2965 and House Bill No. 4115 on June 6, 2012. President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 on August 15, 2012. The law was influenced by the Data Protection Directive and the APEC Privacy Framework.[6]

President Aquino appointed on March 7, 2016 Raymund Liboro as inaugural head of the commission with Damian Domingo O. Mapa and Ivy D. Patdu as inaugural deputy privacy commissioners.[7] With fixed terms of office, they continued with their roles during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

After consultation with various private organisations, civil societies and a series of public hearings in Manila, Cebu and Davao, the Implementing Rules and Regulations[8] of the Data Privacy Act was signed on August 24, 2016. It took effect on September 9, 2016.[9]

In May 2016, the Commission formally investigated the Commission on Elections for the Commission on Elections data breach one of the largest security breach in government held personal data.[10] On February 21, 2017, NPC announced that the Commission on Elections was being investigated for another security breach due to alleged theft of a computer containing personal data of voters.[11]

The NPC also began coordinating with different sectors on privacy and data protection.[12] In 2016, the National Privacy Commission was accepted as a member in the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners and the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities.

Members

Raymund Liboro was appointed as Commissioner of the National Privacy Commission in March 2016. Mr. Liboro first made his name in national media as commentator for PBA games in the 90s. He was part of the emerging breed of sportscasters together with the likes of Chino Trinidad, Sev Sarmenta, Noli Eala, Ed Picson, and the late Butch Maniego—all well-versed in commentating in either English or Filipino that certainly contributed to the expansion of the league’s fan base during the decade. Prior to the NPC ASec. Liboro was Assistant Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) where he carried the same zeal and passion in lifting the profile of the Department of Science of Technology as its de facto chief spokesperson. He served as DOST point person in a number of important inter-agency committees and assignments and is recognized as among the prime movers of Program NOAH, which since its launch in July 2012 has been cited even by international organizations for portraying a more comprehensive weather picture of the Philippines and for providing advance warning bulletins during typhoons and monsoon rains. An economics graduate of the University of the Philippines-Diliman, ASec LIboro was also the official DOST representative of the Cabinet Assistance System (CAS) chaired by former Secretary of the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras. He also served as the OIC Director of the Science and Technology Information Institute, DOST’s main information agency.[13]

Ivy D. Patdu was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of the National Privacy Commission in 2016. The Deputy Commissioner is a doctor, lawyer and health privacy advocate. She previously worked with the National Telehealth Center of the University of the Philippines Manila in developing legal frameworks for Telemedicine, use of electronic health records and other eHealth initiatives. As a former member of the Health Privacy Group of the Department of Health, she helped craft the privacy guidelines for the Philippine Health Information Exchange of the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Her previous areas of practice also include risk management for healthcare providers, medico-legal and health policy. Deputy Commissioner Patdu graduated from the Philippine Science High School, and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine under the Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine Program. She obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila School of Law, where she graduated with Scholastic Second Honors.[13]

Damian “Dondi” Mapa was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the National Privacy Commission in February 2016. He previously served as a Commissioner in the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) from 2004 to 2006. While at the CICT, he spearheaded the creation of the Philippine Cyberservices Corridor, which laid the groundwork for Next Wave Cities to generate BPO jobs and investments in the country. He also paved the way for automated elections in his role as Chairman of the Senate’s Technical Working Group for Republic Act 9369. Prior to being appointed to the NPC, Mr. Mapa was the National Technology Officer for Microsoft Philippines. His private sector experience includes serving on the leadership teams of Arthur Andersen Business Consulting, Hewlett Packard Philippines, James Martin & Co., Dell International Services, Unisys Philippines, and Duotal. He has established two business incubators, Hatchasia.com and JG-SOMBA. He is a Past President of the Infocomm Technology Association of the Philippines (ITAP), the Unix Users Club of the Philippines, and the Philippines Association for Open Computing. He served as a judge on the Board of Judges for IBPAP’s International ICT Awards, as Chairman of ITAP’s Data Privacy and Security Committee, as board member of the European Innovation Technology and Science Center Foundation, and as trustee of the Telecentre.org Foundation. He grew up in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental where he attended St. Louis Grade School. He then attended high school in La Salle Green Hills and graduated from the Business Management Honors Program of the Ateneo de Manila University. He has attended post-tertiary courses at IDRC (Ottawa, Canada), INSEAD (Fontainebleau, France) and the Darden School of Business (Virginia, USA).[13]

References

  1. ↑ Republic Act No. 10173, An Act Protecting Individual Personal Information in Information and Communications Systems in the Government and the Private Sector, Creating for this purpose a National Privacy Commission, and for Other Purposes, (2012)
  2. ↑ Data Privacy Act, Section 7
  3. ↑ Data Privacy Act, Section 9
  4. ↑ Data Privacy Act, Section 2
  5. ↑ Ronda, Rainier Allan (1 Jan 2017). "Privacy body raises private sector awareness on data security". Philippine Star.
  6. ↑ "Philippine Data Privacy Law is Signed into Law". HL Chronicle of Data Protection. 23 Aug 2012.
  7. ↑ "DOST exec named first commissioner of National Privacy Commission". NewsBytes.ph. 7 Mar 2016.
  8. ↑ https://www.gov.ph/images/uploads/20160825-IRR-RA-10173-data-privacy.pdf
  9. ↑ "IRR for Data Privacy Act released 4 years after passage of law". NewsBytes.ph. 27 Aug 2016.
  10. ↑ Ronda, Rainier Allan (6 Jan 2017). "Comeleak: Bautista faces criminal raps". Philippine Star.
  11. ↑ Nonato, Vince F. (21 Feb 2017). "Another Comeleak? Theft probed". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  12. ↑ de Villa, Kathleen (30 Jan 2017). "Agency reminds bank on data privacy law". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  13. 1 2 3 Available at the website of the National Privacy Commission

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