The National Privacy Commission (NPC) Seal of Registration is not just a certification but is also a mandatory public declaration of your compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (DPA). For all registered Personal Information Controllers (PICs), including individual doctors and clinics, the seal must be displayed prominently to assure patients that their personal information is handled responsibly.
Failure to display the Seal correctly can result in non-compliance penalties from the NPC.
Whose seal is being displayed?
SeriousMD displays SERIOUSMD's seal (as a PIP) on SeriousMD's platform,
Doctors must display THEIR OWN seal (as PICs) on their own websites/online presence
Where to Display the NPC Privacy Seal
Your Online Presence
The NPC seal must be displayed wherever you actively collect or process patient data online. Here's when it's required vs optional:
⚠️ REQUIRED:
You MUST display your seal if your website/online presence:
Has online booking or appointment forms
Collects patient information through contact forms
Has patient portals or login areas
Processes any patient data directly
OPTIONAL (but recommended)
If your website:
Only shows general information (clinic hours, services, location)
Doesn't collect any patient data
Just has a "Book via SeriousMD" button/link that takes patients to SeriousMD's platform
Example Scenarios
Scenario 1:
Dr. Santos has a website with just clinic info and a "Book on SeriousMD" link
His website doesn't collect patient data
All bookings happen on SeriousMD
Seal display on his website = OPTIONAL (but good practice! 👍)
Physical clinic display = ✅ REQUIRED
Scenario 2:
Dr. Cruz has a website with an embedded booking form that she manages,
Her website actively collects patient names, contact info, appointment requests,
Seal display on her website = ✅ REQUIRED
Physical clinic display = ✅ REQUIRED
Scenario 3:
Dr. Reyes has NO website, only uses SeriousMD for online bookings,
Patients book through SeriousMD platform,
Physical clinic display = ✅ REQUIRED
Online presence covered through SeriousMD platform
About SeriousMD Booking Pages:
SeriousMD displays compliance information on our platform. When patients book through your SeriousMD page, they're interacting with SeriousMD's system (where we handle the data processing as your PIP), so this aspect is covered by our registration and seal display. It's one of the many benefits of using SeriousMD to handle your bookings.
What Happens if I am Non-Complaint?
Displaying the NPC Seal is a mandatory post-registration requirement under NPC Circular No. 2022-04. Failure to comply can result in sanctions from the National Privacy Commission:
Revocation of the Certificate of Registration: Your registration status may be revoked, removing your legal compliance shield.
Administrative Fines: The NPC has the authority to impose administrative fines for non-compliance with the DPA and its circulars.
Cease and Desist Order: In severe cases, the NPC may issue a Cease and Desist Order, temporarily or permanently banning you from processing patient data.