Your Data & Privacy | Lotus Foundation

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 01 June 2025

1. Introduction

The Lotus Foundation Inc Philippines ("we," "us," "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding the personal information of our donors, volunteers, customers, students, and all stakeholders. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal data in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).​

2. Scope

This policy applies to all personal data collected through our various platforms and programs, including:​

• Donations

• Volunteer Applications

• Lotus Dairy Farm E-commerce Shop

• Lotus Farm School and Training Center​

By engaging with our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.​

3. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:​

• Personal Identifiers: Full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, and civil status.

• Contact Information: Email address, phone number, and residential or mailing address.

• Financial Information: Credit/debit card details, bank account numbers, and other payment information for processing donations and purchases.

• Professional and Educational Background: For volunteers and students, information about educational attainment, employment history, skills, and certifications.

• Account Credentials: Username, password, and other security information used for authentication and access to our systems.

• Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our websites and services, including IP addresses, browser types, and pages visited.

• Health and Emergency Information: For volunteers and students, health-related information and emergency contact details to ensure safety during activities and training.

• For Online Store Purchases: Name, shipping and billing addresses, email, phone number, payment details, and purchase history.​

We collect this information through various means, including online forms, registration and application forms, donation and purchase transactions, communication with our staff, and participation in our programs and events.​

4. How We Use Your Information

Your personal data is used for the following purposes:​

• Donations: To process contributions, issue official receipts, acknowledge support, and maintain records for accounting and auditing purposes.

• Volunteer Program: To assess suitability for volunteer roles, manage participation, communicate opportunities, and ensure safety during activities.

• E-commerce (Lotus Dairy Farm Shop): To process orders, handle payments, deliver products, provide customer support, and manage returns or exchanges.

• Educational Services: To enroll students, manage academic records, provide training and certification, and communicate with students and parents.

• Communication: To send newsletters, updates, invitations to events, and promotional materials, with your consent.

• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations, such as tax reporting and regulatory requirements, and to protect our legal rights.​

We ensure that your personal data is used only for the purposes for which it was collected and that any further processing is compatible with those purposes.​

5. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information with:​

• Service Providers: Third-party vendors who provide services on our behalf, such as payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, hosting services, and customer service. These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it solely for the services they provide to us.

• Affiliated Organizations: Within the Lotus Foundation Inc Philippines network, for purposes consistent with this Privacy Policy and with appropriate safeguards.

• Legal Authorities: When required by law, such as in response to a subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others.​

We ensure that any third parties with whom we share your personal data are bound by confidentiality obligations and comply with applicable data protection laws.​

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:​

• Organizational Measures: Designation of a Data Protection Officer (DPO), development of data protection policies, regular training of staff on data privacy, and implementation of access controls.

• Physical Measures: Secure facilities with restricted access, use of locked cabinets for physical records, and proper disposal of documents containing personal data.

• Technical Measures: Use of encryption, firewalls, secure servers, and regular security assessments to protect electronic data.​

We also have procedures in place to respond to data breaches, including notification to affected individuals and the National Privacy Commission, as required by law.​

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. The retention periods for different types of data are as follows:​

• Donor Records: Retained for 7 years for accounting and tax purposes.

• Volunteer Information: Retained for 5 years after the end of your volunteer engagement.

• Customer Orders: Retained for 3 years to manage customer service and warranty claims.

• Student Records: Retained in accordance with educational regulations and accreditation requirements.​

After the retention period, we securely dispose of or anonymize your personal data to prevent unauthorized access or use.​

8. Your Rights

Under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:​

• Right to Be Informed: You have the right to be informed about the collection and use of your personal data.

• Right to Access: You have the right to request access to your personal data and obtain information about how it is processed.

• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

• Right to Erasure or Blocking: You have the right to request the deletion or blocking of your personal data under certain circumstances.

• Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, including for direct marketing purposes.

• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to obtain and reuse your personal data for your own purposes across different services.

• Right to Damages: You have the right to be indemnified for any damages sustained due to inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, false, unlawfully obtained, or unauthorized use of personal data.​

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at:​

Teodosio N. Valenton Jr.
Vice Chairman | Board of Trustees
Lotus Foundation Inc Philippines
info@lotusfoundationph.com
NATIONAL HIWAY
CENTRAL SAN MARCELINO
ZAMBALES 2207

We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.​

9. Compliance with Data Privacy Laws and Best Practices

The Lotus Foundation Inc Philippines is committed to protecting the personal information of our stakeholders in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. We uphold the rights of data subjects and implement appropriate measures to ensure the security and confidentiality of personal data.​

In line with best practices for nonprofit organizations, we strive for transparency in our data processing activities, collect only necessary information, and obtain explicit consent from individuals. Our staff and volunteers receive regular training on data privacy to maintain high standards of data protection.​

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

11. GDPR Compliance (EU/EEA Visitors)

If you are located in the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides you with additional rights regarding your personal data. These include:

• Right to Access – You may request access to your personal data and how it is used.

• Right to Rectification – You may request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data.

• Right to Erasure – You may request deletion of your data, subject to legal or operational limitations.

• Right to Restrict Processing – You may limit how we process your data in certain cases.

• Right to Data Portability – You may request a copy of your personal data in a commonly used format.

• Right to Withdraw Consent – You may withdraw your consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

• Right to Lodge a Complaint – You may file a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have violated GDPR regulations.

We process your data based on your consent, legitimate interests, contractual obligations, or to comply with legal obligations. For questions, concerns, or to exercise your rights under the GDPR, please contact:

Data Protection Officer
Lotus Foundation Inc Philippines
info@lotusfoundationph.com
NATIONAL HIWAY
CENTRAL SAN MARCELINO
ZAMBALES 2207

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