This report is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) initiative, which critically examines how data governance is evolving across the region, including both formal frameworks and informal norms. In the Philippines, the absence of a comprehensively organized legal or policy framework has resulted in a patchwork of approaches shaped by sector-specific laws, presidential directives, and administrative regulations.
In recent decades, policies have emerged in response to growing data use, such as updates to intellectual property laws aligned with international practices and the enactment of personal data protection legislation addressing cross-border data processing. Despite recent developments, the Philippines still lacks a unified data governance framework. The only broad measure is the 2016 presidential ordinance on public access to government data. Other rules remain fragmented, addressing specific types of data such as personal information or credit data. This study will examine the range of statutes, executive orders, and agency regulations that govern how data is managed and transferred across both public and private sectors.
This report is part of a broader comparative effort that includes case studies from India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Korea, and Thailand. The Philippines’ experience highlights the challenges of governing data without a unified framework, emphasizing the tension between fragmented legal instruments and the growing demand for openness, protection, and democratic accountability.
The draft Philippines Country Report can be found below.
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