By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

Committed in protecting personal information of all stakeholders, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is conducting an inventory of its data processing systems (DPS) in compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173). 

On May 5, university administrators convened in a training-workshop at the MMSU Center for Flexible Learning to complete the DPS inventory of all university units.

Prof. Milagros B. Barruga, data privacy office chief, said the activity is one of MMSU’s organizational security measures as prescribed by the National Privacy Commission (NPC). 

Once accomplished, the inventory will be submitted to the NPC, which is mandatory and integral to MMSU’s compliance with the data privacy law, Barruga added. 

College deans, office directors and chiefs were guided to do the inventory through the discussions on the salient provisions of RA 10173, the MMSU data privacy policy, and the privacy impact assessment. These topics were discussed by Prof. Wilben Christie R. Pagtaconan, director of Information Technology Center; Prof. Barruga; and Prof. James Patrick A. Acang, chief of software development and data science, respectively. University administrators also retrofitted their office request forms and process flowcharts according to the requirements of RA 10173.      

Dr. Prima Fe R. Franco, vice president for academic affairs, hopes the training-workshop will enable the university to fully comply with the provisions of the data privacy law, thus promoting stakeholders’ trust to the University’s handling of personal data.

The training also served as an avenue in preparing the university personnel for the Privacy Impact Assessment to be administered by the NPC this month. PIA will assess the potential impacts of MMSU’s privacy on a process, information system, program, software, module, device or other personal information processing initiatives, in consultation with stakeholders, and for taking actions to treat privacy risk.

Upholding data protection is among the initiatives of the university to realize effective and efficient management, one of the ACHIEVE agenda of MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis. 

PSCA said the creation of MMSU data privacy manual and policy, re-composition of the university data privacy committee, and the data breach response team spell the university’s fervent commitment to protect personal data of its constituents and stakeholders. (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)