The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) officially signed a memorandum of understanding on October 20 at the headquarters in Pasay City, jointly promoting the upgrade of data privacy protection and compliance regulation in the national gaming industry. According to the agreement, both parties will collaborate to address data privacy challenges, enhance industry compliance levels, and establish various measures including a "no-gambling personnel database" for national public officials, implementing responsible gaming from a systemic perspective. PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco expressed that this move reflects the commitment to protect the personal information of employees, licensed institutions, and customers, while NPC Chairman and Privacy Commissioner John Henry Naga affirmed the importance of cooperation in handling sensitive information in the industry. This cooperation originated from the data privacy training held by NPC for state-owned enterprises, and both parties will carry out publicity and education, personnel training, and policy formulation.
Signing of Cooperation and Agreement Content
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) officially signed a memorandum of understanding on October 20 at the headquarters in Pasay City. The agreement aims to jointly promote the upgrade of data privacy protection and compliance regulation in the national gaming industry, addressing industry data privacy challenges.
Both parties will collaborate to enhance industry compliance levels, creating a safer and more trustworthy gaming environment.
Cooperation Goals and Main Measures
According to the memorandum, both parties will carry out data privacy publicity and education, regulatory personnel training, privacy policy formulation, and industry governance enhancement. Key measures include establishing a "no-gambling personnel database" for national government officials and civil servants to prevent public officials from entering casinos and other gaming venues.
These measures implement the concept of "responsible gaming" from a systemic perspective, strengthening industry regulation.
PAGCOR's Position and Commitment
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco stated that this cooperation reflects the firm commitment of the agency to protect the personal information of employees, licensed institutions, and gaming customers. Establishing a no-gambling database is an important measure to implement responsible gaming.
Tengco emphasized that this will promote the gaming industry towards a more standardized and safe direction.
NPC's View and Industry Significance
NPC Chairman and Privacy Commissioner John Henry Naga affirmed PAGCOR's proactive attitude towards data privacy responsibility. He pointed out that cooperation between regulatory agencies is crucial in the gaming industry, which involves a large amount of sensitive information.
Naga stated that this cooperation reflects a high regard for the security of citizens' personal data, marking a further advancement in the standardization of the gaming industry.
Origin and Background of Cooperation
The idea for this cooperation originally stemmed from the data privacy training held by NPC for state-owned and state-run enterprises. PAGCOR's Data Privacy Officer Maria Concepcion Gloria-Rubio suggested establishing a systematic compliance framework during the training.
This suggestion received a positive response from NPC, ultimately leading to formal cooperation between the two parties.
Implementation Plan and Time Frame
According to the memorandum, both parties will immediately start data privacy publicity and education and regulatory personnel training. Privacy policy formulation and industry governance enhancement will be mid-to-long-term implementation goals.
The establishment of the no-gambling personnel database will be progressively advanced to ensure systematic and standardized implementation.
Industry Impact and Expected Effects
The cooperation is expected to significantly enhance the level of data privacy protection in the Philippine gaming industry. By establishing unified compliance standards and regulatory frameworks, higher standards of safety and trust are injected into the industry.
These measures will help enhance the public's trust and satisfaction with the gaming industry.
Regulatory Collaboration and Information Sharing
PAGCOR and NPC will establish a regular communication mechanism, sharing regulatory information and best practices. Both parties will collaborate to handle data privacy violations, jointly enhancing law enforcement efficiency and consistency.
This collaborative model provides a reference example for regulatory cooperation in other industries.
Technical Support and System Construction
The cooperation includes technical system construction and upgrades to support data privacy protection and compliance regulation. The no-gambling personnel database will use advanced data security technology to ensure the safety of information storage and use.
System construction will follow international data privacy protection standards and adopt best technical practices.
Future Prospects and Continuous Development
This cooperation is an important step in the regulatory upgrade of the Philippine gaming industry, which may be extended to other regulatory areas in the future. Both parties stated that they will continuously adjust and optimize the content of cooperation based on implementation effects.
In the long term, this cooperation model is expected to promote the comprehensive standardization and sustainable development of the Philippine gaming industry.
