When did the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) discover that its official passport contractor ran off with the data of applicants? What has the DFA done to address this serious issue involving the privacy of individuals and the security of the state? Why has there been no official pronouncements from the DFA regarding this matter aside from social media?
These questions were raised by Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Winnie Castelo on learning about how the DFA lost data to a passport contractor. The loss of data was used by the DFA to justify the need for applicants to submit birth certificates when renewing their non-electronic passports.
“Concerned agencies, as they prepare for the rollout of the national identification system, should make sure that this kind of data loss will never happen.”
“The DFA should inform the public about who this private contractor is, the company or individuals behind it, and how it intends to file charges against whoever they may be, and ensure that they are penalized for their actions” asserted Castelo.
“The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the National Privacy Commission (NPC), as well as other concerned agencies, as they prepare for the rollout of the national identification system, should make sure that this kind of data loss will never happen,” warned Castelo.
Castelo said the national identification system will require all adult Filipinos to secure a “Filipino ID card” containing personal information, such as their name, birth date, blood type, height, weight and permanent address.
