Privacy Policy

Who We Are and What This Policy Covers

Manila Web is a web design studio operated by Daniel as a sole operator. We design and build websites for local small businesses in Metro Manila and across the Philippines. For the purposes of the Data Privacy Act, Manila Web is the personal information controller responsible for the data described in this policy.

You can reach us at:

• Website: metromanilawebsites.com
• Email: hello@metromanilawebsites.com
• Phone or WhatsApp: +63 966 990 2045

This policy applies to our website at metromanilawebsites.com, our free website preview and contact form, and any inquiry you send us through email, phone, or WhatsApp. It does not cover other websites we link to, which have their own privacy policies.

The Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data in three ways: information you give us directly, information captured automatically about how you found us, and information gathered through cookies and similar technologies as you use the site.

Information you submit through our contact or free preview form:

• Your name
• Your business name
• A contact detail you choose (phone, WhatsApp, or email)
• Your type of business
• Which package you are interested in
• An optional message

First-touch marketing attribution captured automatically when you arrive, so we understand how people find us:

• How you arrived at the site (the referring website)
• The page you first landed on
• Campaign tags in the link you clicked, such as utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign, plus the Google click id (gclid) and Facebook click id (fbclid)

Information collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies:

• Your IP address
• Your device and browser type
• Pages you view, time on site, and clicks
• Your approximate location

Session Recordings and Heatmaps

We use Microsoft Clarity to record anonymized session recordings and heatmaps that show how visitors move through and use our site, for example where people click, scroll, and pause. We tell you about this clearly because it is more revealing than ordinary analytics.

These recordings are anonymized and are used only to understand how the site is working so we can improve the experience, fix confusing parts, and make pages easier to use. We do not use them to identify you personally. You can read how Microsoft handles this data in the Microsoft privacy statement, linked in the cookies section below.

How and Why We Use Your Data

We use the personal data described above for the following purposes:

• To prepare and show you a free website preview when you request one
• To respond to your inquiry and discuss your project, packages, and pricing
• To build, launch, and support your website if you decide to work with us
• To send you a notification or reply by email about your request
• To understand how people find and use our site so we can improve it
• To measure the results of our advertising and marketing in a privacy-respecting way
• To keep our site secure and to comply with our legal and tax obligations

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use your information for unrelated purposes without telling you first.

Legal Bases for Processing

Under the Data Privacy Act, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Depending on the situation, we rely on:

• Your consent. When you submit our form, you agree to us using your details to respond and prepare your preview. For cookies and tracking that are not strictly necessary, such as advertising and analytics, we give you a clear notice and an easy way to opt out, and you can change your mind at any time.
• Performance of a contract, or steps before entering one. When you ask for a preview or quote, we process your data to take the steps you requested and, if you proceed, to deliver your website.
• Our legitimate interests. We use limited analytics and security data to run, protect, and improve our small business, balanced against your rights and only where it does not override your interests.
• Legal obligations. We may keep certain records to meet tax, accounting, and other legal requirements in the Philippines.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We and a few trusted providers use cookies and similar technologies to run the site, measure traffic, and improve our advertising. Where these are not strictly necessary, we give you a clear notice and an easy way to opt out, and you can change your mind at any time.

Storage we set ourselves (first-party, not third parties):

• mw_uid, to remember a visitor id
• mw_attr, to remember your first-touch source
• mw_consent, to remember your cookie choice

Third-party tools we use:

• Meta Pixel and Meta Conversions API (Meta Platforms, Inc.), used for advertising measurement. The Conversions API may send Meta a hashed (one-way encrypted) version of an email or phone you submitted, along with cookie ids (_fbp, _fbc), so ad results can be measured and de-duplicated. Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/
• Google Analytics 4 (Google LLC), used for website analytics to understand site traffic and behavior. Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
• Microsoft Clarity (Microsoft Corporation), used for anonymized session recordings and heatmaps. Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/privacystatement

You can also control cookies through your browser settings, though blocking some cookies may affect how the site works.

Who We Share Data With and Our Processors

We share personal data only with service providers who help us run our business, and only as needed for the purposes described here. These providers process data on our behalf, and we do not sell your personal data to anyone.

• Advertising and analytics providers: Meta (Meta Platforms, Inc.), Google (Google LLC), and Microsoft (Microsoft Corporation), as described in the cookies section.
• Hosting and infrastructure: Cloudflare, Inc. for content delivery and page hosting, and DigitalOcean for the server that runs our lead system.
• Email delivery: a standard email and SMTP provider, used to reply to inquiries and to send our team a notification of your message.

We may also disclose data if required by law, a valid government request, or to protect our rights, safety, or property.

International Transfers

Some of the providers above process data on servers outside the Philippines, which means your personal data may be transferred internationally. This applies, for example, to the advertising, analytics, hosting, and email providers we use.

When this happens, we take reasonable steps so your data continues to be protected to a standard consistent with the Data Privacy Act, and we share only what is needed for the purposes described in this policy. By using our site and submitting your information, you understand that your data may be processed in other countries.

How Long We Keep Your Data

We keep personal data only for as long as we need it for the purposes described in this policy, or for as long as the law requires.

• Inquiry and free preview details are kept while we are in contact and for a reasonable period afterward in case you return or have follow-up questions.
• If you become a client, we keep project and payment records for as long as needed to support your website and to meet our tax and accounting obligations.
• Analytics, advertising, and cookie data are kept according to the retention settings of each provider and our own cookie lifetimes.

When we no longer need your personal data, we securely delete it or anonymize it. You may also ask us to erase your data sooner, as explained in your rights below.

Your Rights Under RA 10173

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

• The right to be informed about how your data is collected and used.
• The right to access the personal data we hold about you.
• The right to object to certain processing, including direct marketing.
• The right to erasure or blocking of your data in the circumstances allowed by law.
• The right to damages for harm caused by inaccurate, unlawful, or unauthorized use of your data.
• The right to rectification, to correct data that is inaccurate or out of date.
• The right to data portability, to obtain and reuse your data in a usable format.
• The right to lodge a complaint with the National Privacy Commission.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@metromanilawebsites.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request, and we will respond within a reasonable time.

How We Protect Your Data

We take reasonable organizational, physical, and technical measures to protect your personal data against loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

• We limit access to your data to what is needed to run our business.
• We use reputable hosting and infrastructure providers, including Cloudflare and DigitalOcean, that maintain their own security protections.
• We use encryption in transit for our website, and the Meta Conversions API receives only a hashed version of any email or phone, not the raw value.

No method of transmission or storage is ever completely secure, so while we work hard to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a data breach ever affects your rights, we will act in line with our obligations under the law.

Children

Our website and services are intended for business owners and are not directed at children or minors. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors.

If you believe a minor has provided us with personal data, please contact us at hello@metromanilawebsites.com and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the tools we use, or the law. When we make changes, we will update the date shown at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this policy occasionally so you stay informed about how we protect your data. Significant changes may be highlighted on our website where appropriate.

How to Contact Us and the NPC

If you have any questions, requests, or concerns about this policy or your personal data, please contact us first so we can help:

• Email: hello@metromanilawebsites.com
• Phone or WhatsApp: +63 966 990 2045
• Website: metromanilawebsites.com

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the National Privacy Commission, the Philippine authority that enforces the Data Privacy Act. You can learn more and find their contact details at privacy.gov.ph.