We, at the Department of Agriculture, protect the privacy of your personal and sensitive personal information (“personal data”) and commit to comply with the Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act (“DPA”), its Implementing Rules and Regulations (“IRR”), and other relevant issuances of the National Privacy Commission. Our goal is to protect your personal data on the channels you interact with us – through our website, our official emails, our offices, physical and digital forms submitted, mobile applications and online platforms (i.e., Registry System for the Basic Sectors in Agriculture).

This Privacy Notice outlines our approach on how we protect your privacy and explains in general terms the purpose and legal basis for the processing of personal data that the Department collects from you, the measures in place to protect your data privacy, and the rights that you may exercise in relation to such information. Please note that this document does not contain an exhaustive list of all of UP’s processing systems as well as the purpose and legal basis for processing.

WHY WE COLLECT AND PROCESS PERSONAL DATA

In general, this Department collects, uses and discloses personal data for the following purposes:

1. To generate updated data necessary in identifying beneficiaries for agriculture and fishery programs of the government;
2. To conduct a more comprehensive stakeholder analysis and needs prioritization;
3. To respond to court orders, instructions and requests from authorities including regulatory, governmental, and law enforcement;
4. To discharge our mandate pursuant to Philippines laws and international agreements which the Philippines has ratified;
5. To respond to, process and handle your queries, requests, feedback, suggestions and complaints;
6. To conduct studies and researches for the purpose of reviewing, developing and improving our provision of product and services in accordance with our mandate; and
7. To prevent, detect, investigate crime and manage the safety and security of our premises and services (including but not limited to conducting security clearances and carrying out CCTV surveillance).

WHAT WE MAY COLLECT FROM YOU

The types of personal data we collect and share depend on the means by which it was collected. This may include, among others:

1. Basic personal information like your name, date of birth, gender, marital status, and citizenship, including supporting documents such as government-issued ID details
2. Your contact details like your home address, mobile number, and email address
3. Specimen signatures
4. Education, employment, and business details
5. Images via CCTV and other similar recording devices which may be observed when visiting our offices and/or using our other facilities
6. Account transactions, movements and interactions with third parties such as merchants

On the other hand, we collect non-personal identification information about users whenever they interact with the site for analytics purposes. Non-personal identification information may include the type of browser used to access the site, the type of computer or device, and other technical information used as the means of connection, such as operating system. This type of information cannot be used to identify individual visitors.

HOW WE MAY SHARE YOUR DATA

This Department does not and will not share your personal data with third parties unless necessary for the accomplishment of the above-mentioned purposes and unless you give your consent thereto. Such third parties may include this Department’s attached Bureaus, attached agencies and corporations, agents, outsourced service providers, and other third parties.

Our third parties include other government agencies/bodies from the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. We engage outsourced service providers to achieve utmost support in delivering services to you.

Any personal data shared with third parties shall be covered by the appropriate agreement to ensure that all personal data is adequately safeguarded. This Department does not and will not sell personal data to any third party.

HOW WE PROTECT YOUR DATA

This Department implements technical, organizational and physical security measures to protect your personal data against loss, misuse, modification, unauthorized or accidental access or disclosure, alteration or destruction.  We put the following safeguards in place:

1. Use of a secured server behind a firewall
2. Deployment of encryption on computers and devices
3. Use of antivirus
4. Establishment of physical security controls

Moreover, we restrict access to your personal data only to qualified and authorized personnel who hold your personal data with strict confidentiality.

We likewise train our employees to properly handle your data.

HOW WE STORE AND DISPOSE YOUR DATA

This Department retains and stores your personal data only according to operational needs and in compliance its legal mandates. Our data retention and disposal policy is in accordance with Republic Act No. 9470 or the National Archives of the Philippines Act and applicable laws. Generally, this Department shall only retain your data for five (5) years after the processing relevant to the purpose has been terminated.

However, this Department may retain and store your personal data until the declared, specific and legitimate purpose has been obtained, to establish, exercise or defend legal claims, for legitimate business purposes, or when provided by law.

When your personal data is no longer necessary to achieve any of the above-mentioned purposes, this Department destroys, deletes or disposes of the same following the security standards.

YOUR DATA PRIVACY RIGHTS

Under the DPA, you have the following rights:

1. Right to be informed;
2. Right to object;
3. Right to access;
4. Right to rectify or correct erroneous data;
5. Right to erase or block;
6. Right to secure data portability;
7. Right to be indemnified for damages; and
8. Right to file a complaint

For more details on your above-enumerated rights, you may refer to Section 16 of the DPA.

CHANGES TO THE PRIVACY NOTICE

This Department may amend this Privacy Notice to reflect the relevant updates and ensure conformity with the legal and regulatory requirements for processing personal data. Relevant updates will only be posted on this Department’s official website.

LIMITATIONS OF THIS PRIVACY NOTICE

The official website of this Department contains links to websites of government departments and other organizations. However, this Privacy Notice applies only to this Department.

You are encouraged and advised to read the respective privacy notices of other agencies/offices.

HOW YOU MAY CONTACT US

For further privacy-related inquiries or complaints, you may contact our Data Protection Officer via dpo@da.gov.ph or (02) 8929-6917.

You may also write our Data Protection Officer at:

Data Protection Officer
Department of Agriculture
Elliptical Road, Diliman
Quezon City, 1100