Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to the Barangay Baligatan Incident Reporting System ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and services.

By using our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. We are compliant with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) of the Philippines.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about users of our platform, including:

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

• Account Information: When you register, we collect your name, email address, contact number, and residential address.
• Incident Reports: When you submit an incident report, we collect details about the incident including title, description, location, urgency level, and uploaded photos/videos.
• Service Requests: Information related to barangay service requests you submit.
• Communication: Information you provide when contacting us directly.
• Profile Information: Profile pictures and other optional information you choose to provide.

2.2 Information Automatically Collected

• Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our website, including pages visited, time spent, and features used.
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
• Location Data: If you choose to share your location when reporting an incident, we collect latitude and longitude coordinates.
• Log Data: Server logs that record activity on our website.

2.3 Types of Data We Process

• Basic Information: Name, address, contact number, email
• Sensitive Information: Incident details that may include personal circumstances
• Government IDs: May be collected for verification purposes
• Financial Information: For assistance requests
• Family Information: For family-related services

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

• Service Delivery: To process and respond to incident reports and service requests.
• Account Management: To create and manage your user account.
• Communication: To send notifications about incident updates, service request status, and announcements.
• Emergency Response: To coordinate with barangay officials and emergency services.
• Improvement: To analyze usage and improve our services.
• Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues and security breaches.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations.

4. Information Sharing & Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Barangay Officials: Incident reports are shared with authorized barangay officials for processing and response.
• Emergency Services: In emergencies, information may be shared with police, fire, medical services, or disaster response agencies.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government regulation.
• Service Providers: Third-party vendors who assist in operating our website (subject to confidentiality agreements).
• Consent: With your explicit consent for specific purposes.

We ensure that all third-party service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission.
• Access Control: Restricted access to personal information based on role and necessity.
• Secure Storage: Encrypted storage of sensitive data.
• Regular Audits: Periodic security assessments and vulnerability testing.
• Employee Training: Regular training on data protection and privacy practices.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Specifically:

• Account Information: Retained until you request account deletion or after prolonged inactivity.
• Incident Reports: Retained for archival and legal compliance purposes.
• Communication Logs: Retained for accountability and quality assurance.
• Activity Logs: Retained for security and audit purposes.

You may request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting our Data Protection Officer.

7. Your Rights

Under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to be Informed: To know what information is collected and how it is used.
• Right to Access: To request a copy of your personal information.
• Right to Rectification: To correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to Erasure: To request deletion of your information (subject to legal exceptions).
• Right to Restrict Processing: To limit how your information is used.
• Right to Data Portability: To obtain your information in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to Object: To object to processing of your information.
• Right to File a Complaint: To file a complaint with the National Privacy Commission.

8. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us:

• Remember your login session
• Understand how you use our website
• Improve website performance and functionality
• Analyze traffic patterns

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect certain features of our website.

Types of Cookies We Use:

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality.
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand user behavior.
• Session Cookies: Temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser.

9. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, such as government agencies or emergency services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

For minors who wish to use our services, we require parental consent. Account creation requires affirmation that the user is at least 18 years old or has obtained parental permission.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal compliance. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending email notifications to registered users (for significant changes)

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Data Processing Summary