1. PhilRice adheres to the precepts of Executive Order (EO) No. 2 or Freedom of Information (FOI) Program of 2016, operationalizing in the Executive Branch the people’s constitutional right to information and the State Policies of full public disclosure and transparency in public service.
2. Consistent with Republic Act (RA) No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, this policy aims to ensure the protection of personal data and information of PhilRice personnel.
3. Consistent also with Republic Act (RA) No. 10055 or the Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009, this policy recognizes intellectual property rights and ensures greater public access to technologies and knowledge generated from government-funded R&D while enabling, where appropriate, the management and protection of related intellectual property.
4. PhilRice, therefore, promulgates this policy to establish rules, guidelines, and procedures for data and information sharing in response to increasing public demand for the access of the aforementioned.

This policy covers PhilRice research data and information.

Data - a representation of information in a formalized manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing.

Exceptions - information that should not be released and disclosed in response to request because they are protected by the Constitution, laws, or jurisprudence.

FOI decision maker (FDM) - an officer with a rank not lower than a division head or its equivalent who shall conduct evaluation of the request of the information.

FOI receiving officer (FRO)- an officer responsible to responding for the requesting party concerning queries connected to FOI process or request.

Information- any records, documents, papers, reports, letters, contracts, minutes and transcripts of official meetings, maps, books, photographs, infographics, data, research materials, films, sound and video recording, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data, computer stored data, any other like or similar data or materials recorded, stored or archived in whatever format, whether offline or online, which are made, received, or kept in or under the control and custody of any government office pursuant to law, executive order, and rules and regulations or in connection with the performance or transaction of official business by PhilRice.

Intellectual Property (IP) - term used to describe intangible assets resulting from the creative work of an individual or organization. IP also refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce.

Intellectual Property Rights - those rights recognized and protected in RA No. 8293, otherwise known as the “Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines“.

Official Record/s - information produced or received by a public officer or employee, or by a government office in an official capacity or pursuant to a public function or duty.

Personal Information - any information, whether recorded in a material form or not, from which the identity of an individual is apparent or can be reasonably and directly ascertained by the entry holding the information, or when put together with other information would directly and certainly identify an individual.

Potential lPRs - intellectual property, or the products of creation and research that form the subject matter of lPRs, but which are not yet protected by the statutory grant of IP rights.

Proactive Disclosure- information made publicly available by government agencies without waiting for a specific FOI request. Government agencies now post on their websites a vast amount of materials concerning their functions and mission.

Processed Information - summarized information organized in a way to make it more understandable or usable.

Processed Research Data - summarized data generated from raw data.

Proprietary Information - information a company wishes to keep confidential. Proprietary information can include secret formulas, processes, and methods used in production. It can also include a company’s business and marketing plans, salary structure, customer lists, contracts, and details of its computer systems. In some cases, the special knowledge and skills that an employee has learned on the job are considered to be a company’s proprietary information.

Public Record/s - information required by laws, executive orders, rules, or regulations to be entered, kept and made publicly available by PhilRice.

Research Data - data that are collected, observed, or created, for purpose of analysis to produce original research results. Research data can be generated for different purposes and through different processes, and can be divided into the following categories:

Sensitive Personal Information - shall refer to personal information:

While providing access to data and information in its official records, Phil Rice shall afford full protection to a person's right to privacy in the following manner:

The procedure referred to in Section IV of the PhilRice FOI manual shall be adopted, in particular, for the following:

For protection of personal data and information, the procedure in the PhilRice Policy on the Protection of Personal Data and Information (Memo No. 2018-407) will be referred to.

The purpose of accessing data and information shall pertain to policy development, official acts, transactions, or decisions. Unless falling under the exceptions provided in existing agreements, laws, rules, and regulations, the following data and information can be shared:

The requesting party shall acknowledge Phil Rice as the source of data and information in all its written materials and publications.

Unauthorized access and distribution of data and information shall be subject to corresponding disciplinary action based on the existing laws, rules, and regulation.

Although PhilRice ascertains the accuracy and reliability of the data and information generated, it shall not be held responsible or liable for the misinterpretation and misrepresentation of data and information provided, or any harm resulting therefrom.