Legal Technology Glossary on NotarialOS

What Is the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice (A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC)?

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:40:00 +0800

The 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice (formally A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC) is the Supreme Court issuance that governs the commissioning, qualifications, powers, duties, and discipline of notaries public in the Philippines. It took effect on 1 August 2004 and replaced the older notarial regime under the Revised Administrative Code.

What Is Competent Evidence of Identity? Philippine Notarial Requirements

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:30:00 +0800

Competent evidence of identity is the term used in the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice for the documentary or testimonial proof a notary public must use to verify the identity of a signer before performing a notarial act. Without competent evidence of identity, a notarial act is irregular and exposes both the notary and the parties to serious risk.

What Is Consularization? Philippine Embassy Notarization Explained

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:20:00 +0800

Consularization is the process by which a Philippine consular officer at an embassy or consulate abroad notarizes or authenticates a document for use in the Philippines (or, in some cases, in the host country). It allows overseas Filipinos and foreign nationals to obtain a Philippine-recognized notarial act without travelling back to the Philippines.

What Is an Apostille? Philippine Use, Process, and How It Compares to E-Notarization

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:10:00 +0800

An apostille is a certificate issued by a country’s designated authority that authenticates the origin of a public document so it can be used in another country that is party to the Hague Apostille Convention (the 1961 Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents). For Philippine documents, the apostille is issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

What Is a Notary Public? Philippine Definition, Powers, and Requirements

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:00:00 +0800

A notary public in the Philippines is a member of the Philippine Bar in good standing who has been commissioned by the Executive Judge of a Regional Trial Court to perform notarial acts within a specific territorial jurisdiction. The office is governed by the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice (A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC), which prescribe who may be a notary, what acts they can perform, and how those acts must be recorded.

What Is a Deed of Sale? Philippine Definition, Types, and Notarization Requirements

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:50:00 +0800

A Deed of Sale is a notarized document by which a seller transfers ownership of property to a buyer in exchange for a price. In the Philippines, deeds of sale are required for transferring real property, vehicles, and other significant assets, and must be notarized to be registrable with the Registry of Deeds, the LTO, or other registries.

What Is a Special Power of Attorney (SPA)? Definition, Uses, and Notarization

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:40:00 +0800

A Special Power of Attorney (SPA) is a notarized document by which a person (the principal) authorizes another person (the agent or attorney-in-fact) to perform specific acts on their behalf. Unlike a general power of attorney, an SPA is limited to the specific acts and transactions named in the document.

What Is an Affidavit? Definition, Types, and Notarization Requirements in the Philippines

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:30:00 +0800

An affidavit is a written statement of facts that the person making it (the affiant) swears under oath to be true, signed in the presence of a notary public. Affidavits are used across the Philippine legal, regulatory, and commercial system whenever a sworn factual statement is required.

What Is a Jurat? Notarial Oath Definition and Form in the Philippines

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:20:00 +0800

A jurat is a notarial act in which a person (the affiant) personally appears before a notary public, signs a document in the notary’s presence, and swears or affirms under oath that the contents of the document are true. It is the notarial act used for affidavits, sworn declarations, certifications, and verifications.

What Is an Acknowledgment? Notarial Definition, Use, and Form in the Philippines

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:10:00 +0800

An acknowledgment is a notarial act in which a person (the principal) personally appears before a notary public and declares that they signed a document voluntarily and for the purposes stated in it. It is one of the most common notarial acts in the Philippines and is required for documents that convey rights, transfer property, or grant authority to act on someone’s behalf.

What Are Articles of Incorporation? Key Contents and Filing in the Philippines

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:19:00 +0800

Articles of Incorporation are the foundational legal document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish a private corporation in the Philippines. Under the Revised Corporation Code (RA 11232), the Articles of Incorporation define the corporation’s basic identity, purpose, structure, and governance framework.

What Is a Secretary's Certificate? Purpose, Contents, and Notarization

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:18:00 +0800

A secretary’s certificate is a document issued by a corporation’s corporate secretary certifying that a particular board resolution, stockholder action, or corporate act has been duly authorized and adopted. It is one of the most frequently produced – and most frequently notarized – corporate governance documents in the Philippines.

What Is a Board Resolution? Requirements and E-Notarization in the Philippines

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:17:00 +0800

A board resolution is a formal written record of a decision made by a corporation’s board of directors during a properly convened board meeting. Under the Revised Corporation Code (RA 11232), board resolutions authorize corporate actions and serve as evidence that the board has approved specific transactions or decisions.

What Is a Corporate Secretary? Role, Duties, and Digital Transformation

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:16:00 +0800

A corporate secretary is a corporate officer responsible for ensuring that a corporation complies with governance requirements under the Revised Corporation Code (RA 11232) and other applicable regulations. In the Philippines, the corporate secretary plays a central role in maintaining corporate records, facilitating board and stockholder meetings, and filing required documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

What Are the Rules on Electronic Evidence? Admissibility of Digital Documents in Philippine Courts

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:15:00 +0800

The Rules on Electronic Evidence (A.M. No. 01-7-01-SC), issued by the Supreme Court of the Philippines, govern the admissibility, authentication, and weight of electronic documents and electronic signatures when presented as evidence in court. They are a critical component of the legal framework that supports e-notarization and digital document workflows.

What Is a Document Audit Trail? Why It Matters for Legal Documents

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:14:00 +0800

A document audit trail is a comprehensive, tamper-proof record of every action taken on a document throughout its lifecycle. It captures who created, viewed, edited, signed, and notarized a document, along with timestamps, IP addresses, and authentication details.

What Is a Notarial Book? Physical vs. Electronic Record-Keeping for Notaries

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:13:00 +0800

A notarial book (also called a notarial register) is the official record maintained by a notary public documenting every notarial act performed. Under the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice, this was a physical book. Under A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC, Electronic Notary Publics (ENPs) maintain an electronic notarial book – a digital, tamper-proof record stored through the Electronic Notarization Facility (ENF).

What Is an Electronic Notarial Seal? How Digital Seals Replace Physical Stamps

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:12:00 +0800

An electronic notarial seal is the digital equivalent of the traditional physical notarial seal (rubber stamp) used by notary publics. Under A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC, an Electronic Notary Public (ENP) applies their electronic notarial seal to documents as part of the e-notarization process, certifying that the notarial act was properly performed.

What Is Remote Electronic Notarization (REN)? How It Works for Filipinos

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:11:00 +0800

Remote Electronic Notarization (REN) is a form of e-notarization where the principal (signer) and any witnesses appear before an Electronic Notary Public (ENP) via audiovisual link (videoconferencing), rather than being physically present. The document is in electronic format (PDF/PDF-A) and the entire process is conducted through an accredited Electronic Notarization Facility (ENF).

What Is In-Person Electronic Notarization (IEN)? How It Works in the Philippines

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:10:00 +0800

In-Person Electronic Notarization (IEN) is a form of e-notarization where the principal (signer) and any witnesses physically appear before an Electronic Notary Public (ENP), but the document being notarized is in electronic format (PDF/PDF-A) rather than paper.

What Is an Electronic Notarization Facility (ENF)? Accreditation and Requirements

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:09:00 +0800

An Electronic Notarization Facility (ENF) is a technology platform accredited by the Supreme Court of the Philippines – through the Electronic Notary Administrator (ENA) – to facilitate electronic notarial acts. Under A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC, all electronic notarization must be performed through an accredited ENF.

What Is an Electronic Notary Public (ENP)? Requirements and Role in E-Notarization

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:08:00 +0800

An Electronic Notary Public (ENP) is a lawyer in good standing who has been commissioned by the Electronic Notary Administrator (ENA) to perform electronic notarial acts under A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC – the Supreme Court Rules on Electronic Notarization.

What Is Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)? How It Secures Digital Signatures

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:07:00 +0800

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a framework of technologies, policies, and procedures that enables secure electronic communication and digital signatures. It uses asymmetric cryptography – a pair of mathematically related keys (one public, one private) – to authenticate identities, encrypt data, and ensure document integrity.

What Is a Digital Signature? How PKI-Based Signatures Work in the Philippines

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:06:00 +0800

A digital signature is a specific type of electronic signature that uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and cryptographic algorithms to verify the signer’s identity and ensure that a document has not been tampered with after signing. It provides the highest level of security, authentication, and non-repudiation among signature types.

What Is an Electronic Signature? Definition and Legal Basis in the Philippines

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:05:00 +0800

An electronic signature (e-signature) is any electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with a document, executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign. Under Philippine law, specifically RA 8792 (the Electronic Commerce Act), electronic signatures have the same legal effect as handwritten signatures.

What Is the Revised Corporation Code (RA 11232)? Key Provisions for Corporate Governance

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:04:00 +0800

Republic Act No. 11232, known as the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines, is the law governing the creation, organization, and regulation of private corporations in the Philippines. Signed into law on February 20, 2019, it replaced the Corporation Code of 1980 (Batas Pambansa Blg. 68) and introduced significant modernizations to corporate governance.

What Is RA 8792? The Philippine Electronic Commerce Act of 2000

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:03:00 +0800

Republic Act No. 8792, known as the Electronic Commerce Act of 2000, is the foundational Philippine law that gives legal recognition to electronic documents, electronic signatures, and electronic transactions. Signed into law on June 14, 2000, it established the legal infrastructure that makes digital document workflows possible in the Philippines.

What Is A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC? The Supreme Court Rules on Electronic Notarization

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:02:00 +0800

A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC is the administrative matter issued by the Supreme Court of the Philippines that established the Rules on Electronic Notarization. Approved in October 2024 and effective March 4, 2025, it is the foundational regulation that makes e-notarization legal and enforceable in the Philippines.

What Is E-Notarization? Definition, Types, and How It Works in the Philippines

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:01:00 +0800

E-notarization (electronic notarization) is the process of notarizing documents electronically rather than on paper, using a digital platform accredited by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. It was formally authorized by A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC, which took effect on March 4, 2025.