GDPR Privacy Policy for IFEX CONNECT

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions ("CITEM," "we," or "us") commits to abide by both domestic and international data privacy principles, to respect your personal information and privacy, and to place appropriate measures in pursuit thereof. In particular, we commit to adopting all standards and regulations prescribed by Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, the issuances of the National Privacy Commission in relation thereto, and other applicable laws (collectively, "Privacy Laws").

CITEM, an attached agency of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), assists exporters by developing their core competencies in the areas of marketing, promotion, and capability building through professionally managed and well-selected programs and activities.

As we continue to digitize our export-promotion initiatives at CITEM, we also continue to place great importance on protecting your data privacy. The herein Privacy Policy describes our policies and procedures on collecting, using, and disclosing your information when using the platform and telling you about your right to privacy and legal protection.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

The use of your Data is to provide and improve the IFEX CONNECT. By using the platform, you agree to the collection and use of information under this Privacy Policy.

Our legal basis for collecting and using the personal information described in this Privacy Policy depends on the nature of the Personal Information collected, as well as the context in which we collect said information:

  • ●     You have given your consent to CITEM to use your information
  • ●     It is in CITEM's legitimate interests to process your information 
  • ●     CITEM must ensure full compliance with the law 

Types of Data Collected

Personal Data

While using the IFEX CONNECT, we may ask you to provide us with the following Personal Data attributes to get in touch with you or identify you. Data attributes may include, but is not limited to:

  • ●     Email address
  • ●     First name and last name
  • ●     Phone number
  • ●     Address, Region, Province, ZIP/Postal code, City or Municipality
  • ●     Usage Data

 

Usage Data

The Usage Data that has automatically collected when using the platform.

It may include information such as Your Device's IP address, the browser you use, the pages of our platform that you visit, including the time and date of visit, the time spent on those pages, the unique device identifiers, and other diagnostic data.

When you access the platform via a mobile device, information is automatically collected, including, but not limited to the following: type of mobile device used, its unique ID, the IP address, the OS, the mobile internet browser used, and other similar raw facts.

The information that your browser may send may also be collected every time you visit or access our site via a mobile device.

CITEM may use Data for the following purposes:

  • ·     To provide and maintain our service.
  • ·     To manage your account registration as a user of the website. The Data you provide can give you access to different functionalities of the IFEX CONNECT online platform available for registered users.
  • ·     To contact you by any means of any electronic communication available concerning updates or information concerning the products and services contracted, functionalities and security updates as necessary or reasonable in the implementation of the site.
  • ·     To provide you with our latest updates about other goods, services, and events that we offer unless you prefer not to receive them.
  • ·     To attend and manage your requests communicated to us.
  • ·     For other purposes: We may use your data for other lawful purposes, such as but not limited to data analysis, identify usage trends and effectiveness of our promotional campaigns, and improving our products and services.

We may share your data in the following circumstances:

  • ·     With Valued Partners: to monitor and evaluate the use of our services to you.
  • ·     With Affiliates: Possible sharing of your Data with our affiliates which includes our parent agency and other member agencies, joint venture partners, or other companies that we control or are under common control, in which case we require the strict observance of the policy on data privacy.
  • ·     With Business Partners: We may share your data with our business partners to offer you certain products, services, or promotions following the data privacy policy.
  • ·     With other users: when you share your data through your interaction in the public areas with other users (e.g., through a Third-Party Social Media Service), viewing your Data is possible. They may be publicly distributed outside by all users. Similarly, other users will be able to view reports of your move, communicate with you, and view your profile.
  • ·     With your consent: We may disclose your data for any other purpose with your consent.

Retention of Your Data

CITEM will only keep your data for the duration deemed necessary for as long as is required for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use your Data to the extent required to comply with applicable laws as needed to resolve disputes and enforce our legal agreements and policies.  

CITEM will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage of Data is kept for a shorter period, except when this Data strengthens the security or improves our service's functionality. We are legally obligated to retain this Data for more extended periods.

DATA PRIVACY RIGHTS

  • Under the Privacy Laws, you are entitled to the following data privacy rights:
  •  
  • 1. the right to be informed whether your personal information shall be, are being, or have been processed;
  • 2. the right to object to the processing of your personal information;
  • 3. the right to reasonably access your personal information;
  • 4. the right to dispute the inaccuracy or error in your personal information and have us correct it immediately and accordingly;
  • 5. the right to suspend, withdraw, or order the blocking, removal, or destruction of your Personal Information from our records; 
  • 6. the right to file a complaint with the NPC for any violation of your data privacy rights;
  • 7. the right to be indemnified for any damages sustained due to such inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, false, unlawfully obtained, or unauthorized use of your Personal Information not in accordance with this Statement; and 
  • 8. the right to data portability of your personal information. 

Log Files

CITEM follows a standard procedure of using log files, like all hosting companies, and hosting services' analytics. These files log visitors when they visit websites. The information collected by log files covers internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date and time stamp, referring/exit pages, and, possibly, the number of clicks. However, these are not linked to any personally identifiable information. Instead, the Data aims to detect online behavior patterns, administer the online platform of IFEX CONNECT, track users' movement on the site, and gather demographic information.

 

Cookies and Web Beacons

As is customary for websites, IFEX CONNECT uses cookies, which store information such as visitors' preferences and the website's pages they accessed or visited. The stored data is used to optimize the users' experience by customizing our online content accordingly.

 

DoubleClick DART Cookie

Google is among the third-party vendors on our site. It also uses DART cookies to serve ads to our site visitors based upon their visit to www.ifexconnect.com and other sites on the Internet. However, visitors may choose to decline the use of DART cookies by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at  https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads. 

Some advertisers on our site may use cookies and web beacons. Our advertising partners are listed below. Each advertising partner has its Privacy Policy for its policies on user data. You may access our advertising partner's current Privacy Policy below:

Third-Party Privacy Policies

IFEX CONNECT's Privacy Policy does not apply to other advertisers or websites. Thus, we advise you to consult the respective Privacy Policies of the aforementioned third-party ad servers for more detailed information. It may include their practices, and the corresponding action points to opt-out of specific options. 

You have the option to click disable cookies in your browser. Learn more about cookie management at the websites of the specific browsers.

Personal Data Disclosure

On Business Transactions

If the Agency is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your data may be transferred. We will provide notice before your Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

On Law enforcement

Under certain circumstances, CITEM may be required to disclose your Data as required by law or in compliance with valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements

CITEM may disclose your Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

  • ·         Comply with a legal obligation
  • ·         The protection and the defense of the rights or property of the Agency
  • ·         The prevention or investigation of possible wrongdoing concerning the service
  • ·         The protection of personal safety of users of the service or the public
  • ·         Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Data

The security of your Data is imperative to us.  However, please be reminded that no transmission system over the Internet or system of electronic storage is secured 100%. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially and legally acceptable means to protect your Data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Our Online Privacy Policy 

Coverage:

The privacy policy described herein covers only our online activities.  The same is valid for visitors to our website regarding the information they shared or collected in IFEX CONNECT. This policy is exclusive to any information collected via the IFEX CONNECT and the FoodPhilippines website.

 

Parts of this privacy policy are also found in the Create Philippines and FoodPhilippines websites. These websites are maintained by CITEM.

Consent

Using our website and related microsites, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms and Conditions.

 

Contact Us:

For Privacy Policy questions, you can contact us

 

Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) 

Tel. no. : (02) 8-831-2201 

Fax no.: (02) 8-832-3965 / (02) 8-834-0177 

E-mail: info@citem.com.ph 

Website: www.citem.gov.ph