Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has administered the oath of office to lawyer Johann Carlos Barcena as head of the National Privacy Commission (NPC). The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) shared several photos of Barcena's oath-taking at Malaca±an Palace in Manila.

According to Philippines News Agency, as NPC privacy commissioner and chairperson, Barcena holds the rank of Secretary. Before his new appointment, Barcena served as executive director of the Office of the Commissioner under the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations.

The NPC, in a Facebook post, expressed its support for Barcena's appointment, emphasizing the importance of his leadership in enhancing data protection and fostering a safer digital environment in the Philippines. The NPC acts as the country's privacy watchdog, tasked with establishing a regulatory framework that ensures accountability in personal data processing and aligns with global data privacy standards.

Furthermore, the NPC is responsible for administering and implementing the Data Privacy Act of 2012. It is also tasked with monitoring and ensuring the country's adherence to international data protection standards.