DOLE Boosts Data Privacy with New Training Program

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is strengthening its data privacy efforts. From July 2 to 4, 2024, DOLE held a training session in Quezon City to help its staff protect and manage data better.

About 40 DOLE employees, including regional directors and mediators, attended the training. They learned essential skills to become effective data protection officers. The National Privacy Commission (NPC), the leading authority on data privacy in the Philippines, led the training.

Anna Benjieline Puzon, Deputy Division Chief at NPC, headed the course. The training aimed to make sure DOLE’s data privacy officers knew their roles and responsibilities well. It also stressed the importance of following the five key areas of data privacy, including privacy impact assessments and creating a privacy manual.

The training covered several important topics:

• Governance and awareness
• Risk and compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012
• Privacy impact assessment
• Privacy management program
• Privacy risk management
• Security incident management

Labor Undersecretary Benedicto Ernesto R. Bitonio, Jr. opened the training, while Labor Assistant Secretary Paul Vincent W. Añover wrapped it up with a message about the importance of data privacy and security.

Good data privacy practices are crucial in today’s workplace. Protecting personal information not only meets legal requirements but also builds trust among employees and stakeholders. Recent data breaches highlight the need for strong data privacy measures.

This training shows DOLE’s commitment to high standards of data privacy and security, following the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and NPC guidelines. This move is a big step towards creating a safer environment for handling sensitive information within the department. (ASC)