The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday announced the approval of the Rules on Electronic Notarization (E-Notarization Rules) that leverages technology to make notarial services more accessible and efficient nationwide.
Under A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC, the SC sitting en banc approved the E-Notarization Rules and the Guidelines on the Accreditation of Electronic Notarization Facility Providers (Accreditation Guidelines).
Under the resolution, the High Tribunal acted on the recommendation of Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, chairperson of the Subcommittee on the Revision of Rules Governing Notaries Public.
These rules introduce Electronic Notaries Public (ENPs), who are authorized to perform notarial acts for individuals located anywhere in the Philippines and, in certain cases, even abroad.
The framework enables three forms, including in-person electronic notarization (IEN), remote electronic notarization (REN), or a mix of both utilizing accredited applications or software tailored for electronic notarization (Electronic Notarization Facilities or ENF).
The SC added that it implements multi-factor authentication (MFA) such as facial recognition, biometrics, and one-time passwords, in compliance with regulations set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). All data stored in the ENFs are likewise protected under the Data Privacy Act.
Before its approval last month, a technical working group (TWG) conducted extensive studies, benchmarked best practices from other jurisdictions, and consulted stakeholders, including government agencies and technology experts.
