This Privacy Policy is hereby adopted in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (“DPA”), its Implementing Rules and Regulations (“IRR”), and other relevant policies, including issuances of the National Privacy Commission (“NPC”). AskAbogado respects and values your data privacy rights, and makes sure that all personal data collected from you, our clients and customers, are processed in adherence to the general principles of transparency, legitimate purpose, and proportionality. It is the policy of AskAbogado that a user’s information, as shared or uploaded on the site is strictly confidential and privileged, and shall be treated as such.

A.                  SCOPE

1. This Privacy Policy enumerates AskAbogado’s policy in relation to the collection, use, storage, sharing and disposal of all personal data processed by AskAbogado in accordance with the DPA, its IRR, and all related issuances of the NPC.

2. AskAbogado maintains the right to amend and/or modify this document to comply with any future developments in data privacy regulations where applicable and to reflect any changes in the organization’s policies and/or personal data processing activities.

3. This Privacy Policy applies, in general, to all personal data processing activities conducted by AskAbogado including, but not limited to, the collection, use, storage, sharing and disposal of all personal data about our users and visitors on the Site.

B.                  DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Consent of the data subject: refers to any freely given, specific, informed indication of will, whereby the data subject agrees to the collection and processing of personal information about and/or relating to him or her. It may be given on behalf of the data subject by an agent specifically authorized by the data subject to do so.

2. Data Subject: refers to an individual whose personal data is processed. This includes the users of AskAbogado.

3. Data Sharing: refers to the disclosure or transfer to a third party of personal data under the control or custody of a personal information controller. The term excludes outsourcing, or the disclosure or transfer of personal data by a personal information controller to a personal information processor.

4. Processing: refers to any operation or any set of operations performed upon personal information including, but not limited to, the collection, recording, organization, storage, updating or modification, retrieval, consultation, use, consolidation, blocking, erasure or destruction of data.

5. Personal Information / Personal Data: refers to 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 entity holding the information, or when put together with other information would directly and certainly identify an individual.

6. Personal Information Controller: refers to any person or organization who controls the collection, holding, processing or use of personal information, including a person or organization who instructs another person or organization to collect, hold, process, use, transfer or disclose personal information on his or her behalf.

7. Personal Information Processor: refers to any qualified natural or juridical person to whom a personal information controller may outsource the processing of personal data pertaining to a data subject.

8. Sensitive Personal Information: refers to personal information (a) About an individual’s race, ethnic origin, marital status, age, color, and religious, philosophical or political affiliations; (b) About an individual’s health, education, genetic or sexual life of a person, or to any proceeding for any offense committed or alleged to have been committed by such person, the disposal of such proceedings, or the sentence of any court in such proceedings; (c) Issued by government agencies peculiar to an individual which includes, but not limited to, social security numbers, previous or current health records, licenses or its denials, suspension or revocation, and tax returns; and (d) Specifically established by an executive order or an act of Congress to be kept classNameified.

D.                 THE COLLECTION AND USE OF PERSONAL DATA

1. We collect the following personal data from our users:

1. Name and email address;
2. Information relating to the legal issue/concern of the user, including but not limited to documents, descriptions, photographs, videos, or other files related or connected with the online consultation scheduled;
3. Videos, audios, and digital photographs that were recorded during an online consultation;
4. Credit card, debit card, electronic money transfer, and other payment information.
5. For lawyer-users, Government issued identifying information, IBP ID, Roll Number, Tax Identification Number, and other necessary identification or information; and,
6. Information about visitors to our website and social media profiles as well as individuals who use our digital platform. Such information may include, among others, social media profiles, browsing activities, IP Addresses, services procured, and links visited.

2. We collect the personal data for the following reasons:

1. We collect and process personal data for the fulfilment of contractual services to our users, including, among others, the use of the services of Askabogado; for debugging; for verification of their identities; for communication and maintenance of continued customer relations; for processing of payments by our users; and, for compliance with the requirements of applicable laws and legal processes (e.g. court orders).
2. We may use the contact information of our clients and customers for administrative purposes, such as customer service and providing notices; and for promotional activities, relating to products and services offered by us and by third parties we work with. You have the ability to opt-out of receiving any promotional communications by sending us an e-mail at askabogado@gmail.com.
3. We may use your personal data for statistical, analytical, research, and other related purposes to create aggregate reports.
4. We may use automatically collected information, such as cookies and similar technologies, to identify your device and record your preference. We use this information to enhance your customer experience and determine tailored content to meet your preferences and needs.
5. We may outsource or contract the processing of Customer Data to third parties to fulfill any of the above purposes. They may have access to personal data for a limited time under reasonable contractual and technical safeguards to limit their use of such information.

3.  We collect and process personal data in the following manner:

1. We directly collect personal data from our users when they register or create an account on the platform, and when they avail of the services on the Site. For personal data that falls under the definition of sensitive personal information, we obtain the data subject’s express and affirmative consent through our Site before we collect and process the information.
2. We obtain personal data automatically from clients and customers when they visit our Site, social media profiles, and/or digital platforms.
3. We may obtain personal data indirectly from lawyers and/or law firms who invite their clients to use our services.

D.                  THE DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL DATA

We do not sell or disclose the personal data we process to third parties without the consent of data subjects unless we are legally required to do so; if it is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we process personal data as mentioned above; or if such action is necessary to protect, defend and/or enforce our rights, property or the personal safety of our employees and other individuals. We only permit our authorized personnel to access or process your personal data. We restrict access to such information to our authorized personnel, contractors, and agents who need to know such information in order to process it for us, who are subject to strict contractual and technical safeguards, and are accountable if they fail to meet these obligations.

E.                   THE RIGHTS OF DATA SUBJECTS

1. Right to be informed: As a data subject, you have the right to be informed that your personal data shall be, are being, or have been processed. This right also requires personal information controllers to notify you within a specific period of time if your data has been compromised, i.e. in the case of a personal data breach.

2. Right to access: You have the right to gain reasonable access to your personal data upon request. You may request access to the following:

1. Contents of your personal data that were processed;
2. Sources from which they were obtained;
3. Names and addresses of the recipients of your data;
4. Manner by which such data were processed;
5. Reasons for disclosure to recipients, if there were any;
6. Information on automated processes where the data will or likely to be made as the sole basis for any decision which would significantly affect you;
7. Date when your data was last accessed and modified; and,
8. Name and address of the personal information controller

3. Right to object:You have a right to object to the processing of your personal data, including processing for direct marketing, automated processing or profiling. You likewise have the right to be notified and given an opportunity to withhold consent to the processing in case of changes to the information given to you regarding the processing of your information.

4. Right to erasure or blocking: You have the right to suspend, withdraw, or order the blocking, removal or destruction of your personal data. You can exercise this right upon discovery and substantial proof of any of the following:

1. Your personal data is incomplete, outdated, false, or unlawfully obtained;
2.  It is being used for purposes you did not authorize;
3. The data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which they were collected;
4. You decided to withdraw consent, or you object to its processing, and there is no overriding legal ground for its processing;
5. The data concerns personal information prejudicial to the data subject — unless justified by freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press; or otherwise authorized;
6. The processing is unlawful; or,
7. The personal information controller, or the personal information processor, violated your rights as a data subject.

5. Right to rectification: You have the right to dispute any inaccuracy or error in your personal data and have the personal information controller correct it immediately, unless the request is vexatious or unreasonable.

6. Right to data portability: Where your personal information is processed by electronic means, you have a right to obtain from the personal information controller a copy of your personal data in an electronic or structured format that is commonly used and allows for further use.

F.                 THE POLICY ON THE COLLECTION AND USE OF PERSONAL DATA

In relation to the rights of Data Subjects, it is AskAbogado’s policy to:

1. Ensure that data subjects affected by the organization’s personal data processing activities are fully and adequately informed of their rights;
2. Ensure that they are fully and adequately informed of all processing activities performed by AskAbogado with respect to their personal data;
3. Ensure that their consent is obtained in accordance with the requirements set forth in the DPA, its IRR, and Memorandum Circulars issued by the NPC where applicable. Where the processing does not require consent from our clients and customers in the instances set forth in Sections 12 and 13 of the DPA pertaining to the Criteria for the Lawful Processing of Personal Information and the Criteria for the Lawful Processing of Sensitive Personal Information, respectively, such rules and procedures will ensure that our customers and employees are fully and adequately informed of the bases of such processing other than consent;
4. Ensure that they have the facility to reasonably access, review and amend their personal data and to request for copies thereof in a commonly portable format;
5. Ensure that they have the facility to: dispute any inaccuracy or error in their personal data, object to any changes in the manner and purpose by which they are processed, withdraw consent where applicable, and to suspend, withdraw, block, destroy, or remove any unnecessary, falsely collected or unlawfully processed personal data; 
6. Ensure that such personal data are proportional, necessary and limited to the declared, specified and legitimate purpose of the processing;
7. Ensure that such personal data are retained for only a limited period or until the lawful purpose of the processing has been achieved;
8. Ensure that such personal data are destroyed or disposed of in a secure manner;
9. Ensure that they have the facility to lodge complaints to AskAbogado relating to any violations to their rights as data subjects and that such complaints are adequately and timely addressed.

 G.          INFORMATION SECURITY POLICY

We apply reasonable and appropriate security measures to protect the information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. We maintain appropriate safeguards to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, accidental loss, unauthorized alteration, unauthorized disclosure or access, misuse, and any other unlawful form of processing of the Personal Data in our possession. This may include, for example, firewalls, password protection and other access and authentication controls.

Despite the foregoing controls, we emphasize that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. We cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us or store in our Site, and you do so at your own risk. We also cannot guarantee that such information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of any of our existing safeguards. If you believe your personal data has been compromised, please contact us at askabogado@gmail.com. If we learn of a security systems breach, we will inform you of the occurrence of the breach in accordance with applicable law.

2.                  We will only retain and use information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements, in accordance with the statute of limitations as provided by law.

I.          CHANGES AND UPDATES TO THIS POLICY

Please revisit this page periodically to stay aware of any changes to this Policy, which we may update from time to time. If we modify the Policy, we will make it available through the Service, and indicate the date of the latest revision, and will comply with applicable law. Your continued use of the Service after the revised Policy has become effective indicates that you have read, understood and agreed to the current version of the Policy.

Please contact us with any questions or comments about this Policy, your Personal Data, our use and disclosure practices, or your consent choices by email at askabogado@gmail.com.