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Hontiveros: DFA owes country an explanation for passport data loss


Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to explain to the public the recent incident involving the government's formerly outsourced passport maker running off with all its applicants' data.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) owes the entire country an explanation," Hontiveros said in a statement.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Toedoro Locsin Jr. has earlier revealed that the DFA's outsourced passport maker "took all" applicants' data, forcing the agency to require those who are renewing their passports to bring their birth certificates. 

"The recent admission that a privately contracted firm took the entire physical database of all of the country's passport holders indicates a serious national security risk, and is evidence of the Duterte government’s gross incompetence in protecting the people's private data," the senator said.

"Exactly what data were lost? When, how, and under whose watch did this happen? Where did the breakdown occur? Who exactly is the responsible firm? And why aren't they being sued for running away with such vital information?" she asked.

DFA  Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said that the submission of PSA-issued birth certificates is being required only for those renewing the older Machine Readable Ready (MRRP) and Machine Readable Passports (MRP) issued before e-passports were first rolled out in 2009. 

"The public needs to be reassured that the data will be retrieved completely and with the highest sense of urgency and priority," Hontiveros said.

"Apart from that, the people responsible for such a gross display of incompetence should be held fully responsible," she said.

The senator also slammed the passport processing system in the country.

"They say, 'go out and see the world.' But how can our people do that if our government can't even provide efficient passport application and renewal services to the public? Worse, it can't be trusted to protect the citizens' sensitive data," Hontiveros said.

"The Duterte government has made a lot of promises about protecting our safety, our sovereignty and our territory. If we cannot trust it to protect our people's documents, how can we trust it with anything else?" she added. — Ted Cordero/MDM, GMA News

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