Whereabouts of COVID-19 patients more important than their names —NPC exec

The whereabouts of a person who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is more important than the name of the patient itself, an official of the National Privacy Commission (NPC) said Sunday.

NPC Commissioner Raymund Liboro made the remark after Senator Panfilo Lacson encouraged individuals who turned out positive for the disease to voluntarily and publicly declare their status to alert those who they have interacted with to take necessary measures against further spreading COVID-19.

"Sa atin kasi, dito sa ating hinaharap ngayon, ang pinakadapat nating malaman marahil ay 'yung mga lugar kung saan na-trace o mga lugar kung saan may positibo para rin mapagbigay alam doon sa mga tao dito sa lugar na ito. 'Yung contact tracing ito," Liboro said in an interview with Dobol B sa News TV.

According to him, it would be pointless to reveal the name of the person if he or she is not well-known.

"Halimbawa magbigay ako ngayon ng isang pangalan na ngayon mo lang makikita, maririnig. Masasabi mo ba kung ito 'yung tao na nakamayan mo o nakausap mo?" he said.

"Hindi ba mas mahalagang malaman mo na ito kaya ay nasa, marahil, nandito sa lugar na ito. O sabihin na natin, saan ba pinakamalapit? Ito ba ay nasa building na ito?" he added.

Many personalities including public officials and celebrities have confirmed in public that they have tested positive for COVID-19, such as Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Sonny Angara, actor Christopher de Leon and actress Iza Calzado, as announced by her talent manager.

"Kung 'yung mga sikat ay masabi nila, o kung merong lumantad diyan kahit sino, ang mahalaga doon ay malaman kung saang lugar," Liboro said.

"'Yun ang ginagawa ng contact tracing, kung saang lugar na hindi mo kailangang sabihin ang pangalan," he added. 

Liboro also said it is a person's right to choose to reveal his or her COVID-19 status. If the person refuses, then it should also be respected, he added.

But revealing the names would be "counterproductive," the commissioner said, as it is not the most important data that the public needs.

"Kung may listahan ka ng mga pangalan, kung hindi mo naman sila kilala, hindi mo rin malalaman kung yan ay na-engkwentro mo. Pero ang nangyari, nailathala mo na siya at maaaring maging permanente o habambuhay ang pagkakalathala nito," Liboro said.

"Napakadaling isipin na kapag nagbanggit ng pangalan ay yun na yun. Pero maraming implikasyon 'yan at kailangang pag-ingatan din natin ito. Kasi kapag matapos itong pandemic na ito, 'yung mga pangalan na 'yan ay hindi mabubura," he added.

As of Saturday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has reached 1,075, of which 68 have died and 35 have recovered. 

READ: COVID-19 Dashboard: Summary of Cases in the Philippines

—Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News