NEWS RELEASE-๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐จ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
Feb 9, 2026 - 1 minute read
BUTUAN CITY, February 5, 2026โ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ ๐ฟ. ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป ๐. ๐ญ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ, ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ป๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (๐ก๐ฃ๐), ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (...
BUTUAN CITY, February 5, 2026โ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ ๐ฟ. ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป ๐. ๐ญ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ, ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ป๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (๐ก๐ฃ๐), ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฑ) ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐, ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ญ๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐น๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ป๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐.
The three-day conference, held from February 3 to 5, 2026, was spearheaded by the DepEd Central Office in coordination with DepEd Caraga and the Schools Division Offices of Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Cabadbaran City, and Agusan del Sur. It convened education leaders nationwide to align policies and practices on planning, accountability, data protection, and responsible use of digital systems.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐น: ๐ก๐ฃ๐ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐
In his presentation, Mr. Zonio emphasized that the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173) protects every individual whose personal or sensitive information is processed. He reminded participants that DepEd is the Personal Information Controller (PIC) responsible for ensuring that all personal data handling in schools and offices adheres to the law.
He explained that privacy is not limited to private spaces or communications but extends to any information an individual reasonably expects to remain confidential, even when shared or processed in public or institutional settings.
Zonio clarified the distinction between data privacy and data protection:
โข Data privacy addresses compliance with laws governing the collection, use, sharing, storage, and deletion of information;
โข Data protection refers to technical and organizational safeguards against internal or external threats.
โ๐๐ผ ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ฟ-๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐โ: ๐ก๐ฃ๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐
๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด
A central reminder from NPC was the principle of proportionality, meaning DepEd offices must collect only what is adequate, relevant, and necessary for a declared legitimate purpose. Schools and offices should avoid gathering unnecessary or excessive information from learners, parents, or personnel.
Zonio emphasized:
If information is not needed for a lawful and specific purpose, it should not be collected at all.
He reiterated that sensitive personal information, such as health data, student records, identifiers, and background details, must be handled with stricter safeguards and should only be processed under lawful conditions outlined in Sections 12 and 13 of the Data Privacy Act.
๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐, ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
Mr. Zonio highlighted the three foundational privacy principles:
1. Transparency: Data subjects must be informed of how their data is collected and used, through clear and accessible privacy notices and policies.
2. Legitimate Purpose: Data should only be processed for lawful and declared purposes aligned with DepEd mandates.
3. Proportionality: Information collected must be limited to what is necessary; excessive information gathering violates the Act.
He also emphasized that consent must be specific, informed, freely given, and evidenced, stating that โif it is not clear, it is not consent.โ
๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฑโ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐
To ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal data, NPC outlined minimum security measures every DepEd office must adopt:
1. Organizational Measures extending to privacy awareness for employees, policies against phishing and social engineering attacks, and strong password protocols to protect sensitive accounts and systems.
2. Physical Measures of guarding physical records through secure archives, locks, and restricted access, and the use of CCTV and other physical security mechanisms.
3. Technical Measures involves creating firewalls and endpoint protection, multifactor authentication, encryption (e.g., AES 256), and penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, and system logs monitoring.
These layered safeguards help prevent unlawful access, breaches, and data misuse.
๐จ๐ฝ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐
Zonio also discussed the rights of data subjects under the Data Privacy Act, including the right to be informed, access, objection, rectification, erasure, data portability, and the right to file a complaint. These rights ensure that learners, parents, and personnel are empowered to question or correct inappropriate processing of their information.
๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐บ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด
Mr. Zonioโs session served as a crucial reminder of DepEdโs role as steward of millions of records nationwide. As digital systems become more widespread in schools, NPC urged DepEd to continue strengthening its privacy practices, ensuring that data protection is integrated into planning, operations, and day to day decision-making.
The National Planning Conference continues to be DepEdโs central venue for advancing safe, transparent, and accountable governance in education, anchored on the protection of learners and personnel in an increasingly digital education landscape.
By: DepEd Caraga Public Affairs Unit
NB. The title โ2025 National Planning Conferenceโ has been retained despite the activity being held in 2026. The conference was originally scheduled for implementation in 2025; however, it was postponed due to adverse weather conditions. Keeping the original title preserves the integrity of the 2025 planning cycle and maintains alignment with the preparatory documents and communications already issued for that year.
For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph.
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