In the Philippines, notarial acts are governed by the 2004 Notarial Rules of Practice (A.M. No. 02-08-13-SC), which ensures the authenticity and legality of important documents. A notary public plays a critical role in preventing fraud by verifying the identity of signatories and ensuring they understand the content of the documents they are signing. Common notarial acts include acknowledgments, oaths and affirmations, jurats, and the certification of copies. Each of these actions serves to provide an added layer of legal assurance that documents are valid and enforceable.
Acknowledgments are perhaps the most common notarial act, where the signatory personally appears before the notary public and declares that they have voluntarily signed the document. On the other hand, jurats require the person signing to swear or affirm that the contents of the document are true, followed by the notary administering an oath. Copy certification entails verifying that a reproduced document is a true and faithful copy of the original, while the issuance of oaths and affirmations is essential in affidavits and legal statements.
The Notarial Rules in the Philippines also prescribe certain responsibilities for notaries, such as maintaining a Notarial Register and ensuring that all notarized documents meet the legal standards set by the Supreme Court. Notaries are also tasked with refusing services if documents are incomplete, if signatories appear unwilling or unaware, or if other legal irregularities arise.
Atty. Errol J. Dobrea is a notary public commissioned under the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Mandaue and the Municipalities of Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Cordova. If you require notarial services, please feel free to contact me.
