Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By registering, accessing, or using the Efforte platform ("Platform"), operated by Pentascale Systems ("Company", "we", "us", "our"), you ("User") agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the Platform.

These Terms apply to all users including Requestors (clients seeking services) and Providers (individuals offering services). Use of the platform for any purpose constitutes acceptance of these Terms in full.

2. Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must be a resident of, or intend to transact within, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines during the Beta phase.
• You must provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
• You must have a valid, verifiable email address.

By registering, you represent and warrant that all information you provide is truthful and that you have the legal capacity to enter into this agreement.

3. User Accounts

3.1 Registration

• One account may function as both a Requestor and a Provider simultaneously.
• Email verification is required before accessing any platform features.
• You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.
• You must notify Efforte immediately at support@efforte.net of any unauthorized use of your account.
• Efforte is not liable for losses resulting from unauthorized account access due to your failure to protect your credentials.

3.2 Account Integrity

• Creating multiple accounts to circumvent Free Plan limits is a violation of these Terms.
• Efforte reserves the right to merge, suspend, or permanently terminate accounts found to be duplicates.
• Accounts are personal and non-transferable. You may not sell, share, or assign your account to another party.

4. Platform Use

4.1 Permitted Use

• Post legitimate service requests with accurate descriptions and realistic budgets.
• Express genuine interest in service requests you have the skills and capacity to fulfill.
• Communicate professionally and honestly through the in-platform messaging system.
• Complete orders in good faith as agreed between parties.
• Provide honest, experience-based reviews after order completion.

4.2 Prohibited Conduct

• Posting false, misleading, or fraudulent service requests or provider profiles.
• Harassment, threats, hate speech, discrimination, or abusive behavior toward other users.
• Sharing personal contact information to circumvent platform communication and payment tracking.
• Spamming, unsolicited advertising, or sending bulk or automated messages.
• Impersonating another person, business, or entity.
• Using the platform to facilitate illegal services, transactions, or activities.
• Attempting to reverse-engineer, hack, scrape, or disrupt platform operations or infrastructure.
• Manipulating reviews or ratings through fraudulent, coercive, or incentivized means.
• Engaging in bribery, kickback schemes, or any form of financial manipulation between users.

5. Service Transactions

Efforte is a marketplace platform. We facilitate connections between Requestors and Providers but are not a party to the service transaction itself and do not employ, supervise, or control Providers.

• Requestors are responsible for clearly defining the scope, budget, expectations, and deadlines of their requests.
• Providers are responsible for delivering services as discussed and agreed in the in-platform chat.
• Both parties must confirm job completion within the platform for an order to be marked complete and for commission to be calculated.
• Disputes between users should first be attempted to be resolved between the parties directly. Efforte may offer mediation assistance but is not liable for outcomes of any dispute.
• Off-platform transactions that bypass Efforte's tracking system are a violation of these Terms.

6. Reviews & Ratings

• Reviews must be honest, based on genuine first-hand experience, and free from defamatory language.
• Reviews may not be submitted in exchange for compensation, discounts, or other incentives.
• Efforte reserves the right to remove, hide, or flag reviews that violate these Terms.
• Attempts to coerce another user to modify, retract, or improve a review are prohibited.
• Both Requestors and Providers may submit reviews after order completion.

7. XP, Levels & Reputation System

Efforte uses a gamified reputation system (XP points, levels, badges, Honor) to build community trust and reward quality service delivery.

• XP is earned through completing orders, receiving positive reviews, maintaining platform activity, and achieving milestones.
• XP and levels are tied to account performance and may not be purchased or manipulated.
• Honor (public trust standing) moves only through two-way ratings between Requestors and Providers, and may never be purchased, transferred, or spent.
• Badges are awarded automatically by the system upon meeting defined criteria and cannot be manually granted.
• Efforte reserves the right to adjust XP values, level thresholds, and badge criteria with advance notice to users.
• XP and reputation data may be reset or removed if an account is found in violation of these Terms.

8. Intellectual Property

Efforte and Pentascale Systems retain all rights to the platform design, source code, branding, trademarks, and original content.

Users retain ownership of content they post (service descriptions, portfolio items, messages) but grant Efforte a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to display and use such content for the purpose of operating the platform.

You may not copy, scrape, redistribute, or commercially exploit any part of the Efforte platform without prior written consent from Pentascale Systems.

9. Platform Availability

Efforte is provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis. We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation of the platform. Scheduled maintenance, unexpected downtime, or technical failures may occur. We are not liable for losses resulting from platform unavailability.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Efforte and Pentascale Systems shall not be liable for:

• Disputes, losses, or damages arising between Requestors and Providers.
• Quality, safety, legality, or fitness for purpose of services offered or performed.
• Loss of income, data, business opportunity, or reputation arising from platform use or unavailability.
• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from use of the platform.

Where liability cannot be excluded by law, Efforte's total liability is limited to the amount of platform fees paid by the User in the 30 days prior to the claim.

11. Termination

• Efforte may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, with or without prior notice depending on the severity of the violation.
• Repeated minor violations will result in warnings before suspension. Serious violations (fraud, abuse, illegal activity) may result in immediate and permanent termination.
• Users may delete their accounts at any time through Account Settings.
• Active or ongoing orders must be resolved before account deletion is finalized.
• Upon termination, your license to use the platform ends and your public profile will be removed.

12. Modifications to Terms

Efforte reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Users will be notified of material changes via email or in-platform notification at least 7 days before changes take effect. Continued use of the platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

13. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, including relevant provisions of the Electronic Commerce Act (RA 8792) and Consumer Act (RA 7394). Any disputes arising under these Terms shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation between the parties. Unresolved disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate courts in Lapu-Lapu City or Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines.

14. Contact

For questions about these Terms of Service, contact:

Pentascale Systems · Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines
Email: support@efforte.net · Website: pentascale.net

By using Efforte, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.