Philippines denies restrictive data policy plans
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Jeffrey Dy reiterated the government’s commitment to an open approach to data governance amid recent concerns voiced by foreign chambers and IT industry groups over potential restrictive data localization policies.
In a statement, Dy clarified that there is currently no draft executive order on data localization under consideration, saying earlier reports suggesting one were based on incorrect information.
“The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) consulted us in April 2023 regarding this draft executive order, and it was agreed to discuss the details more thoroughly. As a result, the draft was never submitted to the Office of the President (OP),” he stated.
Dy stressed that the DICT stance is to promote cross-border data flows and avoid implementing restrictive policies that could negatively impact the IT-BPM sector.
Leading IT and business groups in the Philippines have voiced concerns about possible data localization policies, highlighting its potential threats to the IT-BPM sector.
The Philippines currently has no broad data localization requirements aside from some residency restrictions on certain sensitive data. However, the government has participated in regional initiatives to develop frameworks for cross-border data flows, including negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement.
