Effective Date: July 24, 2025
Last Updated: July 24, 2025
Your privacy matters to us. This statement explains what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect your data while using GUIA.
1. Who We Are
GUIA is an educational platform that helps students prepare for college entrance exams. We operate in the Philippines and comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173) and all applicable privacy laws.
2. Information We Collect
GUIA collects only a minimal amount of personal information to operate effectively. We do not collect names, birthdates, academic scores, or personal profiles. We only collect:
1. A username chosen by the user
2. The user's email address
3. The schools the user is applying to
4. For users under 18, the email address of a parent or guardian to request consent
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
1. Create and manage your GUIA account
2. Personalize your learning experience (e.g., show content related to your target schools)
3. Send you updates and helpful reminders related to your preparation journey
4. Ensure that users under 18 have proper parental or guardian consent
We do not use your data for advertising, marketing to third parties, or profiling. Some features of GUIA use artificial intelligence to personalize your study journey. These systems do not make decisions that affect you legally or financially.
4. Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with advertisers or unrelated third parties. We may share data with trusted service providers who help us operate or maintain our systems and are contractually bound to maintain confidentiality and comply with Philippine data privacy laws. We may also share data when legally required.
5. Security of Your Data
We take data protection seriously. While our production infrastructure is being finalized, we are designing GUIA with security and privacy at the core. We are implementing:
1. Encrypted data in transit via HTTPS
2. Secure cloud storage on servers with strict access controls
3. Role-based access management and audit logs
4. Safeguards against unauthorized access, data loss, and misuse
We regularly review our security posture as our platform evolves to ensure we maintain the highest standards in data protection.
6. Data Retention
We retain your information only as long as needed to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. If you delete your account or withdraw consent, we will permanently delete or anonymize your data, unless required to retain it for legal or administrative reasons.
7. Rights of Users (and Parents)
Under the Data Privacy Act, you (or your parent/guardian, if under 18) have the right to:
1. Access your personal data
2. Correct any inaccuracies
3. Withdraw consent at any time
4. Request deletion of your data
5. Lodge a complaint with the National Privacy Commission (NPC)
You may exercise these rights by contacting us at hello@guia.ph.
8. Use of Cookies
GUIA may use cookies for keeping you logged in, remembering preferences, and tracking basic usage metrics (non-personalized). You can choose to disable cookies via your browser settings, although this may affect your experience on the site.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Data Privacy Statement as our platform evolves. We'll post the updated version on our website and notify users of any significant changes.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to your privacy, contact:
Marc Cruz
Co-founder and CEO, GUIA
📧 learn@guideguide.com
🌐 www.guiaguide.com
