Philippines probes suspected theft of 68GB of migrant workers' data

Photo caption: Transfer logs showing a possible breach of backup files containing 68GB worth of data on Filipino migrant workers is now under probe by authorities and cybersecurity experts.

MANILA – The Philippines has launched an investigation into a suspected "data breach" involving nearly 68GB of database backups linked to government systems serving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) confirmed on Thursday that it was coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) after cybersecurity researchers reported that 27 database backup files had been "copied" from a publicly accessible server hosted in Singapore.

Cybersecurity firm Hunt.io said transfer logs showed that the files were copied on September 6, 2026, within just 23 minutes and 46 seconds.

The findings were published on October 28.

The database filenames referenced the former Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), overseas employment services, employment contracts, OFW records and the Balik-Manggagawa system used by returning migrant workers.

Researchers also identified technical links to servers associated with the DMW's government domain.

However, the actual contents of the backups have not been examined, leaving investigators unable to establish whether personal information was exposed.

It was not immediately clear who accessed the files or where the data was transferred.

NPC spokesperson Roren Chin said the commission was investigating whether the incident violated the Data Privacy Act of 2012. The agency is coordinating with the DMW to assess potential privacy risks and protect affected individuals.

Hunt.io said it had notified relevant Philippine cybersecurity response authorities before releasing its findings.

The investigation raises concerns about the security of government platforms handling sensitive information belonging to millions of Filipinos working overseas.