Philippines, Israel deepen cooperation on personal data protection
WASHINGTON D.C. – On 24 April 2025, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) of the Republic of the Philippines entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Israeli Privacy Protection Authority (PPA), establishing the framework for promoting collaboration and cooperation between the two countries in personal data protection and cross-border enforcement.
Signed by NPC Privacy Commissioner Atty. John Henry D. Naga and PPA Head Gilad Semama, the MOU sets the foundation for a partnership that promotes knowledge exchange, best practice development, and cooperative initiatives to address emerging data privacy challenges in an increasingly interconnected world. The signing ceremony, which was also attended by Atty. Nerissa N. De Jesus, Deputy Privacy Commissioner of the NPC, was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on the last day of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Global Privacy Summit 2025.
Under the MoU, the NPC and the PPA will collaborate on several key areas, including enhancing mutual understanding of legislative, procedural, and technological frameworks in the realm of data and privacy protection. The MOU also supports joint initiatives in knowledge sharing, training, and education on current and emerging privacy issues. Furthermore, both agencies have committed to welcoming official delegations, exchanging views on the development of international standards that affect data protection, and jointly developing best practices to improve their operational effectiveness.
“This MoU reflects our shared vision with PPA to promote strong, rights-based personal data protection through international cooperation and mutual trust,” Privacy Commissioner Naga emphasized.
“With a sizeable number of Filipinos living and working in Israel, this Memorandum takes on a deeper meaning: It affirms our responsibility to our kababayans abroad, many of whom are caregivers, healthcare workers, and professionals, who deserve the same level of protection for their personal data as anyone else. This collaboration is a clear affirmation of our duty to our kababayans: Datos ng Pilipino, protektado ko,” Atty. Naga added.
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