UN monitor checks privacy rights
PHILIPPINE Privacy Commissioner John Henry D. Naga met with United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Irene Khan, on Tuesday and discussed Manila’s efforts to ensure privacy and a free press in the country.
Mr. Naga said their discussion covered “strategic initiatives aimed at fostering data privacy awareness and implementation of policies that balance privacy rights and lawful disclosure.”
Specifically, he updated Ms. Khan on the National Privacy Commission’s efforts to uphold and safeguard the right to privacy and addressing issues that hinder expression in journalism, art, literature and research.
The UN’s special rapporteur arrived Monday evening, quickly starting her 10-day mission to discuss state policies with representatives of the government and the private sector.
On Friday, she is set to engage with civil society organizations in Baguio City, an engagement seen by City Councilor Jose Molintas as “a crucial opportunity” to strategize protective measures for social activists.
Jordan G. Habbiling, Sanguniang Panlungsod of Baguio City information officer, informed media on Tuesday that Ms. Khan’s meeting will be with representatives from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley Region, and Central Luzon Region, along with other civil society groups, including journalists, at the City Council’s Session Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
A former UN-appointed expert on Indigenous Peoples Mechanisms, Mr. Molintas said he looks forward to raising some concerns, particularly the mislabelling of indigenous rights advocates as “terrorists” while exercising their civil and political rights.
The consultation will be overseen by Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan, along with Mr. Molintas and fellow Councilors Arthur Allad-iw, and Peter Fianza.
A human rights lawyer since the 1980s, Mr. Molintas, along with the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), has been at the forefront of aiding human rights victims. This meeting with Khan holds the promise of addressing and alleviating these ongoing challenges. — John Victor D. Ordoñez and Artemio A. Dumlao