Website Policy | Bahay Ugnayan Research Center

Bahay Ugnayan Website Policy

This policy document outlines the terms for using the Bahay Ugnayan website (https://bahayugnayan.org/), our privacy practices, and guidelines related to the collection.

Bahay Ugnayan is a not-for-profit research center based in the Philippines, dedicated to the preservation and study of Philippine cultural heritage, including The Mercedes Zobel Collection of Indigenous Philippine Textiles & Objects.

This document is effective as of November 26, 2025, and may be updated periodically. Your continued use of the site constitutes acceptance of any changes.

Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using the Bahay Ugnayan website (the "Site"), you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time by posting updates here. We will indicate changes by updating the "Last Updated" date.

Use of the Site

The Site is provided for informational, educational, and research purposes related to Philippine cultural preservation. You may view, download, and print content for personal, non-commercial use, provided you retain all copyright and proprietary notices. You may not:

Modify, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from the content without prior written permission.
Use the Site for any commercial purpose, including selling or advertising goods/services unrelated to our mission.
Engage in any activity that could harm the Site, such as hacking, transmitting viruses, or overloading the system.
Post or transmit unlawful, defamatory, obscene, or harmful content.
Impersonate others or infringe on intellectual property rights.
Collect user data without consent or for unauthorized purposes.

We encourage respectful engagement with the content, aligning with our anti-colonial and anti-racist stance, and in compliance with Philippine laws, including those protecting cultural heritage and data privacy.

User Contributions

At times, the site may allow submissions (e.g., feedback or comments), you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute them. You are responsible for ensuring your contributions are accurate, legal, and non-infringing. We may remove or edit contributions at our discretion but are not obligated to monitor them.

Intellectual Property

All content on the Site, including text, images, and collection descriptions, is owned by Bahay Ugnayan or its licensors and protected by Philippine copyright laws (e.g., Republic Act No. 8293, the Intellectual Property Code) and international treaties. Use of collection images or data requires permission, especially for research or publication, to respect cultural sensitivities and indigenous rights under Philippine law.

Links to Third-Party Sites

The Site may link to external sites for convenience. We are not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or availability. Access them at your own risk.

Disclaimer of Warranties

The Site is provided "as is" without warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any purpose. We do not guarantee uninterrupted access or error-free content.

Limitation of Liability

Bahay Ugnayan, its staff, and affiliates are not liable for any damages arising from Site use, including indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, even if advised of the possibility, subject to limitations under Philippine law.

Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Site at any time for violations of these terms.

Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of the Philippines.

Bahay Ugnayan respects your privacy and complies with Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012) and regulations from the National Privacy Commission (NPC) of the Philippines. As a Philippine-based organization, we process personal data in accordance with local standards, ensuring transparency, legitimacy, and proportionality.

Information We Collect

We collect limited personal information to support our non-profit mission:

Actively Submitted: Name, email, address, and other details you provide via contact forms, feedback, or research inquiries.
Passively Collected: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and usage data via cookies or analytics tools (e.g., to track site traffic and improve user experience).

We do not collect sensitive personal data (as defined under the Data Privacy Act, such as race, ethnic origin, or health data) unless voluntarily provided for specific purposes (e.g., research collaborations) and with explicit consent.

How We Use Your Information

Your data is used to:

Respond to inquiries or feedback.
Send updates about our programs, events, or research (with opt-out options).
Analyze site usage for improvements.
Comply with legal obligations under Philippine law.

We process data based on legitimate interests, consent, or contractual necessity, as per the Data Privacy Act. We do not sell, rent, or share your data for marketing purposes.

Sharing Your Information

We may share data with:

Service providers (e.g., email hosts or analytics tools) under strict confidentiality agreements that comply with Philippine data protection standards.
Legal authorities if required by Philippine law (e.g., court orders).
Partners for collaborative research, with your consent and in line with NPC guidelines.

Data sharing is minimized and conducted only with entities that uphold equivalent privacy protections.

Data Security and Retention

We use reasonable measures, including encryption and access controls, to protect your data from unauthorized access, in compliance with NPC security requirements. Data is retained only as needed (e.g., for ongoing communications) or as required by Philippine law, then securely deleted or anonymized.

Your Rights

Under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, you have the right to:

Be informed about data processing.
Object to processing.
Access your data.
Correct inaccuracies.
Block, erase, or destroy data (right to be forgotten).
Damages for violations.
Portability of data.
Withdraw consent where applicable.

Contact us at cgreen@zobelgroup.com to exercise these rights. For complaints, you may also contact the National Privacy Commission (NPC) at info@privacy.gov.ph or through their official channels.

We use cookies for functionality and analytics. You can manage them via your browser settings, but this may affect Site usability. We obtain consent for non-essential cookies as required under Philippine privacy regulations.

Children's Privacy

The Site is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect their data without verifiable parental consent, in line with Philippine child protection laws.

International Transfers

As a Philippine entity, data is primarily processed within the country. If transferred internationally (e.g., to cloud services), we ensure recipients meet NPC-approved adequacy standards or use binding agreements like Standard Contractual Clauses.

Collection Policy and Sensitivity Disclaimer

About the Collection

The Mercedes Zobel Collection of Indigenous Philippine Textiles & Objects includes approximately 990 items across categories such as textiles, basketry, beadworks, metalworks, ornaments, pottery, utilitarian objects, weaponry, weaving implements, and woodcarvings. These are sourced ethically and documented for research and public engagement, with a focus on Philippine indigenous communities.

Acquisition and Management

We acquire items through donations, collaborations, or ethical, private purchases that align with our mission of cultural preservation. Acquisitions must comply with Philippine laws, including Republic Act No. 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009), Republic Act No. 7356 (on the National Commission for Culture and the Arts), and guidelines from the National Museum of the Philippines, avoiding items from illegal trade or unethical sources. We prioritize items that enhance understanding of Philippine heritage, especially from regions like Abra, Ifugao, and Mindanao, while respecting indigenous peoples' rights under Republic Act No. 8371 (Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act).

Collections are managed responsibly: documented, preserved, and made accessible for research while respecting cultural origins. We may deaccession items if they no longer serve our mission, prioritizing transfers to other non-profits, repatriation to source communities, or compliance with Philippine cultural repatriation protocols.

Use of the Collection

Digital representations on the Site are for educational purposes. Researchers may request access to physical items via application (as per our Research Center terms). Reproduction or commercial use requires permission to protect intellectual and cultural rights, including free prior and informed consent from indigenous communities where applicable.

Sensitivity Disclaimer

Some materials in our collections may reflect colonial perspectives or outdated social attitudes from the time they were collected or documented. This could include words, terms, or phrases that are inaccurate, derogatory, or harmful to Filipino and Filipino diasporic communities, potentially causing distress.

These do not reflect the stance of Bahay Ugnayan Research Center staff or affiliates. We maintain a strong anti-colonial and anti-racist position, dedicated to centering the humanity of historically marginalized communities.

We are actively implementing sensitive-content warnings, verifying data accuracy, and collaborating with communities, scholars, and stakeholders to reinterpret collections in line with Philippine cultural sensitivity guidelines. Feedback is welcomed to revise or remove inappropriate content—please contact us to confirm, clarify, or discuss any data.

For ethical reasons, we restrict access to sensitive items (e.g., sacred objects) and consult with source communities on handling and display, adhering to the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act and related Philippine laws.

For questions about this policy, the Site, or the collection, cgreen@zobelgroup.com

Last Updated: November 26, 2025

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