Privacy
balikbayan.deal is a buy-on-order sourcing service operating from the Philippines. This page describes what we hold about you, why, and what you can make us do about it. It is written to the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10173).
What we collect
Your email address, because signing in is how you place and track a request. Sign-in is passwordless: either Google or a link sent to that address.
A contact number, which you give us when you submit a request, so we can reach you about that order.
The requests themselves: the pieces you asked for, their sizes, the total, the status, and any note you added.
We do not collect payment card details, and no card is ever charged on this site. Payment happens outside the site, by GCash or bank transfer, so we see only whatever your own bank or wallet shows the recipient. We run no analytics, no advertising and no third-party trackers.
What your browser stores
Your bag is kept in your own browser using local storage, not on our servers, until you submit it as a request. Signing in also stores a session in your browser so you are not asked to sign in on every visit. Clearing your browser data removes both.
Why we hold it, and for how long
We use it only to confirm a piece is available, arrange payment, buy and forward your order, and answer you about it. We do not sell it, and we do not share it for anyone else's marketing.
Requests are kept while your account exists, because they are the record of what you ordered and what you paid. Ask us to delete your account and we remove your email, contact number and requests.
Who can see it
Only our own operators, and only after signing in to an internal console restricted to a named list of accounts with verified email addresses. There is no public access to any of it.
This site does not ask for a delivery address. Arranging where a parcel goes happens separately, using the contact number on your request. Whatever address you give us that way is passed to the forwarding service that carries the parcel, along with the name it should be delivered to, and nothing else about you.
Where it is stored
We use Google Firebase. Your account and requests are stored in a database hosted in Singapore, and product images are stored in the United States. Being processed outside the Philippines is disclosed here because the Data Privacy Act requires it.
Your rights
Under the Data Privacy Act you may ask what we hold about you, have it corrected, have it erased or blocked, object to how we use it, receive a copy in a portable form, and be told if it is ever compromised in a way that puts you at risk.
You can also complain to the National Privacy Commission at privacy.gov.ph, whether or not you have raised it with us first.
Reaching us
We have not published a contact address yet, so there is currently no way to reach us about a privacy request. That is a gap on our side, not a limit on your rights. Until it is published, please do not treat this service as able to action an access or deletion request.