General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) , Governance & Risk Management , Privacy

Privacy Landscape in Asia: GDPR Influence, Lean Resources

As many countries in APAC are coming out with their own privacy laws, the region is fast becoming the epicenter of data protection developments around the globe, said Raymund Liboro, former commissioner and chairman of the National Privacy Commission, Philippines.

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Liboro pointed out that while most privacy laws in the region are being influenced by the EU's GDPR, privacy commissioners of each country must ensure that local laws incorporate local nuances. "A law that is heavily informed by the GDPR doesn't necessarily mean or translate to a mature implementation. There are many factors that influence regulators' enforcement. Resources is one, especially in our region," Liboro said.

"The biggest challenge for data protection authorities here in our region is how to maximize results and be effective amidst meager resources as compared to those in the West and the EU. We talk about emerging regulators with very minimal resources that are implementing global frameworks, and we are doing this amid heightened consumer awareness."

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, Liboro discusses:

• The various privacy laws and regulations in the APAC region;
• Why countries should not blindly replicate GDPR;
• Changes needed in privacy law for the Philippines.

Liboro served as the Philippines' first privacy commissioner from 2016 to 2021. He fast-tracked data protection policy development in the country by issuing the Data Privacy Act's implementation rules and significant policy circulars.