PLDT, Inc. announced on Monday its creation of a data privacy and information security committee to “ensure guidance and oversight” over how the company addresses privacy and information security issues.

The committee will be headed by PLDT Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Manuel V. Pangilinan. Other members are PLDT Directors Ray C. Espinosa and Junichi Igarashi.

PLDT said Bernido Liu will serve as an independent member while PLDT Chief Revenue Officer, Smart President and Chief Executive Officer Alfredo S. Panlilio will serve as an advisor.

Also on Monday, PLDT said it had secured a carrier ethernet certification from Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) 3.0. According to its website, MEF is a “global industry forum for network and cloud providers.” 

“This level of certification will assure customers that they will receive the highest levels of performance established by the world’s defining authority for standardized network services,” MEF President Nan Chen said in a statement.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin