MANILA – The National Privacy Commission (NPC) called on telecommunications firms to compete on ensuring effective data privacy and protection as part of their delivery of services to consumers.
“This is what’s good about competition it’s the customers who decide who to trust. So, why not let the telcos compete in the data privacy and protection space. Let them compete in terms of price, performance, and privacy,” Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said in his speech, during the general membership meeting of the Chief Information Officers at the Crowne Plaza in Quezon City.
Liboro assured that the NPC will continue to create awareness on data privacy protection through its “Privacy, Safety, Security and Trust (PSST!) Online” campaign, which seeks to equip Filipinos with information and self-help tools that they can use to protect themselves from the risk of data breaches when using online applications and services on their mobile and desktop devices.
The NPC earlier said it aims to train data protection officers, who will monitor the compliance of various organizations handling and processing personal information to data privacy laws.
The National Telecommunications Commission has confirmed Mislatel Consortium as the third major telco player in the country last November 19.
Mislatel, a joint venture of Udenna Corporation and China Telecom, has committed to provide internet speeds of 55Mbps covering 84 percent of the population with capital expenditures (capex) of around PHP250 billion over a five-year period. The consortium stands to lose its performance bond of PHP24 billion or 10 percent of its capex if it would fail to make good on its commitments.
The consortium needs to come up with its business rollout plan, which assures that its network and facilities will not compromise national security and comply with the National Cybersecurity Plan of the Department of Information and Communications Technology within 90 days after its confirmation as the new major player.
Mislatel assured that it will coordinate with government agencies such as the Department of National Defense and the National Security Council to ensure that cybersecurity and national security concerns will be addressed.
Meanwhile, the NPC is set to hold its symposium on student privacy at the De La Salle University in Manila on Friday.
The event, which is expected to be attended by more than 500 participants, will feature discussions on what every student can and must do to ensure that their personal data is private, safe and secure; how “trust” can make or break the digital economy; career prospects in the field of data privacy and practical tips on how Filipinos can help build a threat-resilient digital Philippines.
Representatives from the DICT, the Internet Society of the Philippines, Information Security Officers Group, Facebook, Google and data protection officers from top Philippine colleges will also attend the event. (PNA/PN)
