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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 42M PhilHealth members' data compromised from breach; Quimbo says victims must know 

42M PhilHealth members' data compromised from breach; Quimbo says victims must know 

Published Jul 8, 2024 12:42 pm

At A Glance

  • The data breach on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in September 2023 compromised the personal information of am estimated 42 million members of the state health insurer. 

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The data breach on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in September 2023 compromised the personal information of am estimated 42 million members of the state health insurer.

This was learned by the House Committee on Appropriations, which held an oversight hearing Monday, July 8. Committee Senior Vice Chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo led the hearing.

National Privacy Commission (NPC) Director Maria Theresita Patula bared during the hearing that five out of the six servers of the PhilHealth central office was compromised during the breach.

“The personal information that were compromised came from the file servers at the PhilHealth office, from the laptop of different employees,” she said.

Among those compromised were the medical records of patients; biling files that contain PhilHealth member records; PhilHealth member records of rebel returnees under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) program; billing records of indigent patients, uniformed government personnel who died in the line of duty, and senior citizens.

Quimbo found the sheer number of compromised information worrisome.

What's worse is that the PhilHealth members have yet to know that they are the victims of the data breach. “At the very least dapat alam nila para maproteksyunan nila ang sarili nila (they should know so they may protect themselves)," Quimbo said.

The responsibility to inform the members rests with PhilHealth, she underscored.

“Ang sagot lang po is yes or no. Alam na po ba today ng 42 million affected individuals na ang data nila ay na-compromised?” she asked.

(This is a yes or no question. Do the 42 million affected individuals know that their data was compromised?)

"As to the individuals, no, madam chairperson,” PhilHealth Chief Operating Officer Eli Santos answered.

“This is a very, very serious matter," noted Quimbo. "You need to submit to this committee at the soonest possible time a status report. You have to tell us, as of July 8, 2024, ilan na dun sa 42 million affected ang nakaka-alam (how many of the 42 million are aware).”

Santos told the lady solon that PhilHealth would comply.

Related Tags

PhilHealth data breach stella quimbo
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