MANILA - Carousel Productions, the organization that owns and runs the Miss Earth pageant, is facing an investigation for possible violation of the data privacy law, amid separate allegations that some of its contestants experienced sexual harassment.

In a letter to the pageant organizer dated Oct. 11, the National Privacy Commission noted that a contestant claimed her phone number was disclosed without consent to a sponsor.

The same contestant claimed that candidates' passports were confiscated on the first day of the pageant, said NPC.

The privacy watchdog said its records show that Carousel does not have a data protection officer.

Pageant delegates "have the right to be informed of every aspect of how their data is to be processed, and the right to access this data," the NPC said.

The body directed Carousel to name its data protection officer, explain the reported disclosure of its contestant's phone number, and provide a copy of its data management program within 5 days after receiving the letter.

Miss Earth candidate Jaime Vandenberg of Canada recently claimed that her number was given to a sponsor without her consent, and that the man called her numerous times to ask for her hotel and room number.

Emma Mae Sheedy of Guam, meanwhile, accused businessman Amado Cruz of grabbing her backside, which he denied.

• Miss Earth sponsor 'forever banned' amid sexual harassment allegations

With a report from Dexter Ganibe, ABS-CBN News