Privacy Policy
The St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, under the Diocese of Gumaca, values and respects your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.
Scope & Acceptance
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected through the official website of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish (www.stisidorehondagua.ph), during parish events, sacramental registrations, and any other interaction between you and the parish.
By accessing our website, registering for sacraments, submitting forms, or engaging with our parish services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy and consent to the collection and processing of your personal data as described herein.
Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following categories of personal information:
Personal Identification Information
- Full name (first, middle, last)
- Date of birth and age
- Gender
- Complete address (barangay, municipality, province)
- Contact number (mobile or landline)
- Email address
- Photograph (for baptismal, confirmation, or wedding requirements)
Sacramental & Canonical Records
- Baptismal certificates and sponsors’ details
- Confirmation records
- Marriage banns, licenses, and certificates
- First Communion records
- Death and burial records
- Godparents’ / sponsors’ names and addresses
Website & Technical Information
- IP address (anonymized where possible)
- Browser type and version
- Device type and operating system
- Pages visited and time spent on site
- Referring URL
- Cookie data (see Section 7)
How We Collect Information
We collect personal information through the following channels:
- Parish registration forms — when you register as a parishioner or for sacramental preparation (baptism, confirmation, marriage, funeral)
- Website contact forms — when you send us an inquiry or message through this website
- In-person transactions — when you visit the parish office to request certificates, schedule masses, or avail of pastoral services
- Event registration — when you sign up for parish activities, recollections, seminars, or community outreach programs
- Automated collection — through cookies and similar technologies when you browse our website
- Third-party referrals — from other parishes during record transfers or canonical processes
We collect only information that is necessary, relevant, and adequate for the declared purpose. We do not collect personal data beyond what is required for parish services and canonical compliance.
Purpose of Collection
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
| Purpose | Details |
|---|---|
| Sacramental Administration | Processing baptism, confirmation, marriage, and other sacramental records as mandated by canon law and diocesan guidelines |
| Parish Communication | Sending mass schedules, event announcements, pastoral letters, and community updates via SMS, email, or printed materials |
| Certificate Issuance | Preparing and issuing certified true copies of baptismal, confirmation, and marriage certificates upon request |
| Canonical Compliance | Maintaining official parish registers as required by the Code of Canon Law and the Diocese of Gumaca |
| Community Programs | Organizing parish events, outreach programs, catechetical classes, and youth ministry activities |
| Website Improvement | Analyzing visitor behavior to improve website content, navigation, and overall user experience |
| Legal & Regulatory | Complying with applicable laws, regulations, and government reporting requirements |
Legal Basis for Processing
Under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:
- Consent — when you voluntarily provide information through forms, registrations, or inquiries
- Legal obligation — when processing is required by canon law, civil law, or a directive from the Diocese of Gumaca
- Legitimate interest — when processing is necessary for the pastoral mission and community services of the parish, provided that your rights and freedoms are not overridden
- Vital interest — in rare cases where processing is necessary to protect the life or safety of a parishioner or community member
Data Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to any third party. Your data may be shared only in the following limited circumstances:
- Diocese of Gumaca — sacramental records and canonical reports are submitted to the diocesan chancery as required by church law
- Other Parishes — record transfers when parishioners relocate or request canonical transfers to another parish
- Government Agencies — when required by law, court order, or a directive from a competent civil authority (e.g., the Commission on Elections, the Philippine Statistics Authority)
- Service Providers — trusted third-party providers who assist in operating our website or communications systems, bound by data processing agreements and confidentiality obligations
Any third party that receives your data is contractually bound to use it solely for the purpose for which it was shared and to implement appropriate security measures.
Cookies & Website Analytics
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.
Types of Cookies We Use
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Cookies | Required for basic website functionality (e.g., page navigation, form submission) | Session |
| Analytics Cookies | Help us understand how visitors interact with our website (e.g., pages visited, time on site) via anonymized analytics tools | Up to 2 years |
| Preference Cookies | Remember your settings (e.g., language, font size) to provide a personalized experience | Up to 1 year |
You may disable cookies through your browser settings. However, please note that certain features of the website may not function properly if cookies are disabled. We do not use cookies for advertising or commercial tracking purposes.
Embedded Content
Our website may include embedded content from third-party services, such as Google Maps. These services may collect data about you, use cookies, and monitor your interaction with the embedded content in accordance with their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review Google’s Privacy Policy .
Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected:
- Sacramental records — retained permanently as required by canon law and diocesan archival policy. These records are part of the official parish registers and cannot be deleted.
- Website analytics data — retained for up to 26 months in anonymized or aggregated form.
- Contact form submissions — retained for up to 2 years from the date of the inquiry, unless further correspondence is ongoing.
- Event registration data — retained for up to 1 year after the conclusion of the event.
- Financial records (donations, stipends) — retained for 5 years in compliance with applicable tax and civil regulations.
When data is no longer needed and retention is not mandated by law or canonical obligation, it will be securely deleted or anonymized.
Data Security
We implement reasonable and appropriate organizational, physical, and technical security measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:
- Physical registers (parish books) are stored in locked cabinets within the parish office, accessible only to authorized parish personnel
- Digital records are stored on password-protected systems with access restricted to designated staff
- Our website uses SSL/TLS encryption (HTTPS) to protect data transmitted between your browser and our server
- Regular backups are maintained to prevent data loss
- Access to personal data is limited to parish staff and authorized volunteers on a need-to-know basis
While we take every reasonable precaution, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to take appropriate steps to protect your own personal information, such as using strong passwords and keeping your devices secure.
Your Rights Under the Data Privacy Act
As a data subject under the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173), you have the following rights:
| Right | Description |
|---|---|
| Right to Be Informed | You have the right to know how your personal data is being collected, processed, and stored |
| Right of Access | You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you |
| Right to Rectification | You may request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data |
| Right to Erasure or Blocking | You may request the deletion or blocking of your personal data, subject to legal and canonical exceptions (e.g., sacramental records cannot be deleted) |
| Right to Data Portability | You may request your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format |
| Right to Object | You may object to the processing of your personal data for certain purposes, such as receiving communications |
| Right to Damages | You may claim compensation if you suffer damage due to inaccurate, incomplete, or unauthorized use of your personal data |
| Right to File a Complaint | You may file a complaint with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) if you believe your data privacy rights have been violated |
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer using the details provided in Section 14. We will respond to your request within thirty (30) days from receipt of a complete request.
Children’s Privacy
We collect personal information of minors (below 18 years of age) only with the consent and in the presence of a parent or legal guardian, particularly in the context of sacramental preparation (baptism, first communion, confirmation) and catechetical programs.
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children through our website without parental consent. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child’s personal data has been provided to us without your consent, please contact us immediately so we can take appropriate action.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external websites, including the Diocese of Gumaca, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Vatican resources, and social media pages. These third-party sites operate independently and have their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of these external sites.
We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party website before providing your personal information.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or church directives. Any revisions will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Significant changes may also be announced through parish bulletins, the Sunday announcement, or our official communication channels.
We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
Contact Our Data Protection Officer
For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal data, you may reach us through the following:
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish
Data Protection Officer
Brgy. Hondagua, Municipality of Lopez, 4317 Quezon Province
Under the Diocese of Gumaca