The Department of Justice Action Center (DOJAC) successfully launched on 29 June 2022 its inaugural Data Privacy Manual, 8888 Guidelines and Revised Procedural Manual as part of its 37th Anniversary celebration.
The celebration commenced with the Opening Remarks of Assistant Secretary Margaret V. Castillo-Padilla, followed by the official launching and unveiling of the aforesaid issuance and Manuals by OIC Program Director Florina C. Agtarap.
The Data Privacy Manual aims to bring the DOJAC a step closer to its goal of protecting the fundamental human right of privacy while ensuring the free flow of information consistent with the Data Privacy Act of 2012. The same was formulated after the successful conduct of a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) on the key data processing procedures of DOJAC and upon the initiative of Assistant Secretary Padilla, who is also the Department’s Data Protection Officer (DPO). In her welcome remarks, Assistant Secretary Padilla emphasized that DOJAC’s Data Privacy Manual, a first of its kind in the Department, may serve as template in the conduct of PIA on other offices and may form part of the Privacy Management Program of the Department that the incoming DPO may formulate as she originally intended when she was first designated as such in 2021.
The 8888 Guidelines, on the other hand, seeks to streamline the procedures for handling complaints, queries and concerns received through the 8888 Agency Portal and the DOJ hotline that may later on be established. Assistant Secretary Padilla said that aside from ensuring timeliness in addressing 8888 matters, the Guidelines also seek to ensure the Department’s eligibility for the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) in so far as the Citizen/Client Satisfaction Result criterion is concerned.
Meanwhile, the Revised Procedural Manual sets forth the basic processes and internal protocols to be observed in the day-to-day operations of the DOJAC Main Office and Regional Centers nationwide. It contains updated forms with privacy notice/statement, latest organizational chart, updated directory of its offices, among others.
The foregoing issuances are envisioned to further improve the services provided by DOJAC to its clientele. The completion and publication of these major documents are a concrete manifestation of DOJAC’s commitment to provide quality legal advice, referral and mediation services, among others, to walk-in, phone call, Facebook, and e-mail clients nationwide.
In his message of support, which was read by Undersecretary Juliana G. Sunga, Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra thanked DOJAC for its efforts to continually better its service to the Department’s most important clientele. Secretary Guevarra expressed his gratitude to DOJAC especially Assistant Secretary Padilla and Undersecretary Sunga for sharing his vision of making the guarantee of legal redress an everyday reality to every person regardless of political affinity or religious belief. Secretary Guevarra said that the completion of the DOJAC’s Privacy Manual reflects how seriously DOJAC safe keeps the precarious trust placed upon it by those who seek its help.
Also in attendance were lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Manila headed by Atty. Mario Dionisio, Jr., heads and representatives from various offices within the Department, and the staff of DOJAC, who were all able to have a photo opportunity with the Secretary before the event ended.
