Introduction
Blue Ribbon Divers (“we”, “our”, “us”) is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your personal data.
This policy applies to information collected through our website (blueribbondivers.com), our booking systems, and in the course of providing our diving and accommodation services.
Data Controller
The data controller responsible for your personal data is:
Blue Ribbon Divers (SDI/TDI 5-Star Dive Centre)
Anilao, Mabini, Batangas, Philippines
Email: info@blueribbondivers.com
Phone: +63 917 893 2719
Legal Basis & Compliance
We process your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173, the Data Privacy Act of 2012, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). We collect and process personal data based on one or more of the following legal grounds:
- Consent — You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., marketing communications).
- Contract — Processing is necessary to fulfil a booking or service agreement with you.
- Legal obligation — Processing is necessary to comply with Philippine law.
- Legitimate interest — Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our services and ensuring dive safety.
Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal data:
Personal Information
- Full name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Nationality and date of birth
- Mailing or billing address
Booking & Service Information
- Booking dates and service selections
- Payment information (processed securely — we do not store full card details)
- Dive certification details (agency, certification level, certification number)
- Medical declarations and health questionnaires (required for dive safety)
- Emergency contact information
Website Usage Data
- IP address and browser type
- Pages visited and time spent on pages
- Referring website
- Device and operating system information
How We Collect Information
We collect personal data through the following channels:
- Booking forms — When you book a dive course, fun dive, or photography mentorship session through our WooCommerce checkout.
- Contact forms — When you send us an enquiry through our website.
- Newsletter signup — When you subscribe to our email updates (with your explicit consent).
- WooCommerce checkout — When you purchase dive services online.
- Little Hotelier — When you book accommodation through our reservation widget (processed by Little Hotelier under their own privacy policy).
- In person — When you complete medical questionnaires, liability waivers, or certification paperwork at our resort.
- Cookies — Automatically through your use of our website (see Cookies section below).
How We Use Your Information
We use your personal data for the following purposes:
- Fulfilling bookings — Processing your reservations, sending confirmations, and delivering the services you have booked.
- Dive safety — Reviewing medical declarations to ensure you are fit to dive. This is a critical safety function and a legal requirement in the diving industry.
- Certification registration — Submitting your details to SDI/TDI for the issuance of dive certifications upon successful course completion.
- Legal compliance — Maintaining waiver records, booking records, and other documentation required by Philippine law.
- Marketing communications — Sending newsletters, promotions, or dive trip announcements, but only with your explicit consent. You can unsubscribe at any time.
- Website improvement — Analysing usage patterns to improve our website and user experience.
- Customer support — Responding to your enquiries and providing assistance.
Cookies
Our website uses cookies to function properly. Here is what we use and why:
Essential Cookies
These are necessary for the website to work and cannot be switched off:
- WordPress session cookies — Keep you logged in if you have an account.
- WooCommerce cart cookies — Remember items in your cart during the booking process.
Analytics Cookies
If we use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics), these cookies help us understand how visitors use our website. This data is anonymised and used solely for improving the website experience.
Third-Party Cookies
The Little Hotelier booking widget embedded on our site may set its own cookies to manage the accommodation reservation process. These cookies are governed by Little Hotelier’s privacy policy.
We do not use tracking or advertising cookies. We do not serve ads and we do not track you across other websites.
Data Sharing
We share your personal data only when necessary to provide our services:
- Payment processors — To securely process your payments.
- Little Hotelier — For accommodation bookings made through their system.
- SDI/TDI — To register your dive certifications upon course completion.
- Philippine government agencies — If required by law, court order, or regulatory requirement.
We never sell your personal data to third parties. We do not share your data for marketing purposes with any external company.
Data Retention
- Booking records — Retained as required by Philippine business and tax regulations.
- Marketing consent records — Kept until you withdraw your consent.
- Dive medical records and liability waivers — Retained per dive industry safety standards and applicable legal requirements.
- Website analytics data — Retained in anonymised form.
Your Rights Under RA 10173
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 know how your data is being collected, used, and processed.
- Right to access — You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to object — You can object to the processing of your personal data, including for marketing purposes.
- Right to erasure or blocking — You can request the deletion or blocking of your personal data when it is no longer necessary for the purpose it was collected, subject to legal retention requirements.
- Right to rectification — You can request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
- Right to data portability — You can request your personal data in a structured, commonly used format.
- Right to file a complaint — You may file a complaint with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) if you believe your data privacy rights have been violated. Visit www.privacy.gov.ph for more information.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@blueribbondivers.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
Children’s Privacy
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 10. For children and young people under 18, parental or guardian consent is required before participating in dive courses, in accordance with SDI/TDI training standards. A parent or legal guardian must complete all forms and provide consent on behalf of minors.
Security Measures
We take the security of your personal data seriously and have implemented the following measures:
- SSL encryption — All data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted.
- Access controls — Personal data is accessible only to authorised personnel who need it to perform their duties.
- Secure payment processing — Payment data is handled by PCI-compliant payment processors. We do not store full credit card details on our servers.
International Data Transfers
When you complete a dive certification course, your personal data (name, date of birth, contact details) is shared with SDI/TDI headquarters for the purpose of issuing your certification. This transfer is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligation to you and is carried out with appropriate safeguards.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data privacy rights, please contact our Data Privacy Officer:
- Email: info@blueribbondivers.com
- Phone: +63 917 893 2719
- Address: Blue Ribbon Divers, Anilao, Mabini, Batangas, Philippines
You may also contact the National Privacy Commission for concerns regarding your data privacy rights:
www.privacy.gov.ph
Last updated: February 2026