The suggestion of some business groups to temporarily suspend the Data Privacy Act (DPA) is wrong in so many ways, ill-conceived, shortsighted, and ultimately irresponsible.
In a strongly-worded statement, the privacy body said science and medical ethics dictate that publicly naming Covid-infected individuals is counterproductive and won’t help in decreasing the transmission of infection.
Among the guidelines contained in Advisory No. 2020-1 that the Data Privacy Council Education Sector issued recently is that schools must consider getting the consent of the parent or legal guardian of students below 18 years old before webcam-supported online discussions are recorded.
The statement comes in light of inquiries and information communicated to National Privacy Commission that private establishments as well as some government agencies collect signatures and other personal data that are immaterial in contact-tracing efforts.
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has warned the Philippine National Police (PNP) that it cannot go beyond the boundaries set by law for its plan to monitor social media for quarantine violators.
The NPC said the Data Privacy Act is not a hindrance to contact tracing initiatives, stressing that it seeks to protect individuals from discrimination, harassment, and acts of social vigilantism amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
To set privacy measures to a maximum and better ensure the safety of data subjects, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) said it will now pseudonymize names in cases it publishes on its website.
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) said it has adopted videoconferencing to reduce the risks of coronavirus infections posed by face-to-face hearings.
Sen. Franklin Drilon also said the fact of death is not sensitive personal information protected by the Data Privacy Act and that a death certificate is in fact a public document required to be filed upon any person's death.
