DFA contractor runs off with passport data

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has revealed that an old contractor responsible for producing Philippine passports ran off with DFA data, affecting passport renewal procedures.

Locsin made the revelation in his personal Twitter account while responding to an applicant who is having an issue renewing his passport as the DFA is requiring him to submit his birth certificate. When asked why the DFA is requiring the said document in some renewals, Locsin said that it’s because the old contractor for passport “took away” DFA data.

Because the old contractor for passports took away all our data so it is like starting all over again. I am sure the DFA negotiated better with the new passport contractor. Sana Central Bank but CB not interested. https://t.co/c7zNGtZ1Ua

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 8, 2019

DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato then clarified that applicants renewing brown or green passports or maroon machine-readable passports are required to submit birth certificates because they need to capture and store the document in their databases as they no longer have the physical copy of the documents submitted when the applicants first applied.

Applicants renewing brown or green passports or maroon machine-readable passports are required to submit birth certificates because we need to capture and store the document in our database as we no longer have the physical copy of the document submitted when they first applied.

— Elmer G Cato (@elmer_cato) January 8, 2019

E-Passports holders, on the other hand, don’t need to bring birth certificates.

The e-Passport is the one on the right. You don’t need to bring your birth certificate if you have that passport. If not, please make sure you bring your birth certificate with you. pic.twitter.com/8UMJOfX5zL

— Elmer G Cato (@elmer_cato) January 12, 2019

Why run off with data?

Locsin said that the previous contractor “got pissed when terminated it made off with data.”

“We did nothing about it or couldn’t because we were in the wrong. It won’t happen again. Passports pose national security issues and cannot be kept back by private entities. Data belongs to the state,” he added.

Because previous contractor got pissed when terminated it made off with data. We did nothing about it or couldn't because we were in the wrong. It won't happen again. Passports pose national security issues and cannot be kept back by private entities. Data belongs to the state. https://t.co/8vsN96jqij

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 8, 2019

NPC to investigate

In a report by PhilStar, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) said that they will investigate DFA’s claim about the taken data.

Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said that they “will summon the DFA and concerned agencies including the alleged contractor to determine the facts surrounding the case.”

“Any form of non-availability of personal data, infringement of the rights of data subjects, and harms from processing that include inconveniencing the public, must be adequately explained to the satisfaction of the law,” he said.