As the number of coronavirus cases in the Philippines steadily increased, the National Privacy Commission had been investigating 22 complaints of privacy breaches involving more than 150 COVID-19 patients, as well as suspected and probable cases.
was among the first, if not the first, Filipino to voluntarily identify himself as a COVID-19 patient. Navarro told Rappler he decided to do so because “When Navarro tested positive for the virus on March 5, the Department of Health told him that he couldn't disclose to anyone, except his family, that he had the coronavirus disease.
The Cagayan provincial government in April began revealing on its official Facebook page the names COVID-19 patients. “The post said the decision to disclose the patients’ identities was based on an executive order of Governor Manuel Mamba. It wasn't clear if the provincial government obtained the patients’ consent before disclosing their names on social media.
By May, Cagayan’s netizens persisted with their online protest. Among them was Michael Masirag, who had openly criticized the provincial government on his personal Facebook account. Asked if the provincial government removed the patients’ names because of the people’s protests, Masirag replied: “BecauseBy June, the Cagayan provincial government was no longer publishing names of patients in its COVID-19 updates on Facebook, and has been releasing, based on the Data Privacy Act, on the public disclosure of private information.
Florece explained that the DSA allows contact tracers from different agencies to access, with strict confidentiality, the information provided by confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19.The agreement covers all members of contact tracing teams from the DOH, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine National Police.
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