The National Privacy Commission has summoned government agencies linked to the alleged data breach for a meeting on Thursday afternoon, an official said.

A cybersecurity firm earlier said about 1.2 million records of employees and applicants of government agencies were leaked online. According to vpnMentor, the agencies involved were the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

So far, the NPC had coordinated with the BIR and the PNP for the meeting later on Thursday, said National Privacy Commission Complaints and Investigation Division Chief Atty. Michael Santos.

"Totoo bang may nangyaring breach? Marami bang apektado? Gaano kalaki ba ang nakuhang data? Titingnan natin kung may nakuha nga ba o wala o may breach ba talaga," he said.

(Was there really a breach? Did it affect a lot of people? How big was the data leak? We will find out if there was really a breach or not)

Santos said the NPC recognizes reports by cybersecurity firms, adding that they are working with the government to safeguard its systems.

However, the said report of a 1.2 million data breach was not initially forwarded to the NPC's office, which could have led to a swifter response, he said.

The NPC, Santos said, has a mandate to impose administrative fines as well as the authority to recommend prosecuting criminally those proven guilty of negligence in taking care of the personal data of Filipinos.

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