The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has ensured the authorities will observe the Data Privacy Act under the new directive of requiring the disclosure of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive patients’ personal information.
IATF Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles has clarified that the disclosure of information will be to the Department of Health (DOH) not the public.
The DOH needs to share the data with Local Government Units (LGUs), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies to help the government in the contact-tracing. IATF Spokesperson Nograles has assured the Data Privacy Law will be dutifully followed in data sharing.
According to Cab Sec. Nograles, only those eligible for mass testing will be diagnosed. Patients receiving priotrity are the ekderlyly, pregnant women, those with pre-existing conditions, health workers constantly exposed to COVID-19 patients, and persons under investigation (PUIs) with symptoms.
He added that transparency is a virtue government preaches and practices
“It’s not government policy to conceal, in fact, gaya ng sinabi ko kanina, hinihingi nga natin sa ating mga pasyente na to reveal all possible information (like I said earlier, we are asking the patients to reveal all possible information). Nakalagay rin po sa batas na RA 11332 (It is written in RA 11332), Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases, anybody who does not cooperate, anybody who conceals eh malalagot (will be punished) with the full force of the law.” – Report from Mela Lesmoras
