The National Privacy Commission (NPC) confirmed on Tuesday, November 10, that personal data breaches have affected 10 government agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
The agencies that reported data breaches to the NPC are:
- Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG)
- Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)
- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – Bureau of Local Employment
- Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
- Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR)
- Department of Justice (DOJ) – Office for Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
- Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
- Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS)
NPC Deputy Privacy Commissioner and spokesperson Atty. Jose S. Belarmino II noted that government entities are legally mandated to report data breaches under the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
“Each notification received by the NPC is reviewed and assessed by our Compliance and Monitoring Division, which examines the nature and circumstances of the reported incident, its potential impact on affected individuals, and the measures undertaken by the agency concerned,” Belarmino said.
Following the review, the Compliance and Monitoring Division submits its findings and recommendations to the Commission En Banc, which determines the appropriate regulatory actions.
“Following the assessment, the division prepares a report containing its findings and recommendations for submission to the Commission En Banc, which determines the appropriate action or decision based on the circumstances of each case,” he added.