National Privacy Commission

National Privacy Commission
Komisyon para sa Proteksiyon ng Personal na Impormasyon
Agency overview
FormedMarch 7, 2016 (2016-03-07)
JurisdictionGovernment of the Philippines
Headquarters5th Floor, Philippine International Convention Center, Vicente Sotto Avenue, Pasay
Annual budget₱220.18 million (2022)[1]
Agency executives
  • John Henry D. Naga, Commissioner and Chairman
  • Leandro Angelo Y. Aguirre, Deputy Privacy Commissioner
  • Deputy Privacy Commissioner
Parent agencyDepartment of Information and Communications Technology
Websiteprivacy.gov.ph

The National Privacy Commission, or NPC, is an independent government body in the Philippines created under Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012;[2] the Commission is 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.[3] While attached to the Philippines' Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for purposes of policy coordination, it remains independent in the performance of its functions.[4] The Commission safeguards the fundamental human right of every individual to privacy, particularly information privacy, while ensuring the free flow of information for innovation, growth, and national development.[5]

In order to fulfill 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[6] 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.

  1. ^ C. NATIONAL PRIVACY COMMISSION
  2. ^ 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)
  3. ^ Data Privacy Act, Section 7
  4. ^ Data Privacy Act, Section 9
  5. ^ Data Privacy Act, Section 2
  6. ^ Ronda, Rainier Allan (January 1, 2017). "Privacy body raises private sector awareness on data security". Philippine Star.