UPOU faculty and staff members (from L-R) Eriberto Roxas, Michael Gomez, Bryan Alcazar, Joel Ocier, Dr. Myra Oruga, Dr. Ria Borromeo, Ela Abao, Asst. Prof. Mary Clariño, Asst Prof. Katrina Abriol-Santos, Marian Tatlonghari, and Rubie Parcon.
The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) participated in the UP Office of the Vice President for Digital Transformation (UP Dx) Training-Workshop on Technical De-Identification and Open Data Publishing headed by Associate Professor Peter Sy, Vice President for Digital Transformation. The two-day event was held on 19-20 May 2025 at the Institute of Small-Scale Industries (ISSI), UP Diliman, Quezon City.
Participants of the event included officers from designated Research Centers within the constituent Units (CUs), research project leaders, data protection officers (DPOs), open data advocates, and data custodians from various UP CUs. Representing UPOU in the event were Dr. Myra Oruga, Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Research; Dr. Ria Mae Borromeo, Assistant to the Chancellor for Institutional Analytics and Insights; Assistant Professors for Information Technology Katrina Joy Abriol-Santos and Mary Kristene Clariño; Mr. Eriberto Roxas, Jr., System Administrator for UPOU; Ms. Rubielita Parcon, University Research Associate from the Faculty of Education; Ms. Ela Giselle Abao, Administrative Officer from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Mr. Bryan Alcazar, Administrative Assistant from the Office of the University Registrar; Mr. Joel Ocier, University Librarian; Ms. Marian Tatlonghari, Project Staff for Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; and Mr. Michael Gomez, Project Staff for Quality Assurance Office.
The workshop aimed to develop the participants’ knowledge on de-identification of data through hands-on application, experiential learning, group discussions, and collaborative exercises in data anonymization and open data publishing. It also introduced ARX, a comprehensive open-source software for anonymizing sensitive and personal data, highlighting its significance in research.
The first day featured Dr. John Erwin Bañez of UP Diliman as the resource speaker, who introduced the use of ARX, an open-source software for anonymizing personal data. The participants engaged in guided exercises using sample datasets to explore de-identification techniques.
On the second day, Dr. Mahar Lagmay of the National Institute of Geological Sciences emphasized the critical role of open data in disaster preparedness and response. This was followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Peter Julian Cayton and Dr. Emmanuel Baja, who discussed the principles, benefits, and challenges of open data.
Dr. Jomar Rabajante of UP Los Baños capped the lectures with a discussion on building trust frameworks for open data, stressing the importance of data integrity and accessibility, especially in raw formats.
The workshop concluded with a Roadmap and Mind Mapping exercise, where constituent units presented their current practices and strategies for enhancing open data initiatives. Representing UPOU, Dr. Ria Mae Borromeo presented a comprehensive overview of the university’s data sharing protocols, ongoing initiatives, and areas for development.
UPOU remains committed to promoting ethical data sharing and upholding the highest standards of data privacy, transparency, and responsible governance in support of the university’s digital transformation goals.
Written by Michael John Gomez and Marian Tatlonghari | Edited by Ria Valerie Cabanes, Alvie Alip, Myra Oruga
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