DAET, Camarines Norte (PIA) — The Camarines Norte Police Provincial Office (CNPPO) urged the media to comply with the Data Privacy Act when gathering information and reporting news to the public.
CNPPO Provincial Director Col. Lito Andaya emphasized the importance of collaboration between the police and the media in delivering accurate information as part of journalists’ responsibility.
He urged media practitioners to be conscious of the Data Privacy Act when disseminating information to the public.
This topic was addressed during a lecture on the Data Privacy Act for the media, which was part of the recent reorganization of the CNPPO Press Corps held at Camp Wenceslao Vinzons in Daet, Camarines Norte.
Capt. Brian Kerwin Aceron, the legal officer for the provincial police, spoke to the media about the Data Privacy Act.
Aceron said that the law aims to safeguard individuals from the unauthorized processing of their personal information.
He said that the law applies to private information that is not publicly accessible and can identify an individual either through direct attribution or by combining it with other available data.
Jayson San Fernando, an ABS-CBN news stringer for Camarines Norte, supported the police’s position, stating that the Data Privacy Act serves as a guidebook for media practitioners and journalists.
“By adhering to the Data Privacy Law, you will not violate the rights of your news subjects, and you are also protecting them,” he said.
San Fernando stated that if the media adhered to the provisions of the Data Privacy Act, they can ensure that the information presented is factual.
He pointed out that as media professionals, they understand how to present data in a way that protects individuals’ privacy.
Mikka Sto. Domingo, publisher of Crown Publishing, emphasized the importance of the Data Privacy Act for media professionals, highlighting the need to be cautious when gathering information, particularly regarding identities in cases of violence against women and children.
“As members of the media, we are to be careful how to get information that cannot reveal the identity especially if the case is related to violence against women and children,” Sto. Domingo said.
She noted that the media should be creative in delivering news and information, focusing more on the story details rather than on the individuals involved in sensitive cases. (PIA5/Camarines Norte)
