30/03/2026
The DPO is fast evolving.
I was honored to join the IAPP Philippines KnowledgeNet session at the Maya Center, where privacy practitioners from across industries came together to reflect on the state of data privacy ten years after the establishment of the National Privacy Commission.
It was an important conversation, and I was proud for PSBD to be part of it alongside fellow panelists: Maya’s Ken Baylor and Irene Torres of LBC. My thanks as well to Maya’s Senior Data Protection Office and IAPP KnowledgeNet Philippines Chairperson Vans Idanan for the invitation.
What stood out most to me is this: the role of the Data Protection Officer has fundamentally evolved.
A decade ago, the DPO was largely viewed as a compliance officer. Today, that role must go much further.
Privacy risk now moves across AI systems, real-time data flows, and interconnected digital ecosystems. It is no longer linear. It is continuous, dynamic, and systemic.
For this reason, I believe the modern DPO must be more than a policy custodian. The role now calls for a risk strategist, a digital trust architect, an AI governance advisor, and a cross-functional leader who can help organizations navigate complexity with confidence.
The question is no longer just: Do you have a DPO?
The more important question is: Can your DPO lead?
At PSBD, we believe that trust in the next decade will not be sustained by policies alone. It will be operationalized through digital systems, visibility, and governance in motion.
And the institutions that recognize this early will not just comply — they will lead the future of Digital Trust, Governance, Risk, and Compliance.