A.M. No. 11-9-4-SC c.

c. In the Court of Tax Appeals, one original (properly marked) and two copies with annexes.
EFFICIENT USE OF PAPER RULE
Whereas, to produce 500 reams of paper, twenty trees are cut and 100,000 liters of water are used, water
that is no longer reusable because it is laden with chemicals and is just released to the environment to poison
our rivers and seas;
SEC. 6.
Whereas, there is a need to cut the judicial system’s use excessive quantities of costly paper, save our forests,
avoid landslides, and mitigate the worsening effects of climate change that the world is experiencing;
Whereas, the judiciary can play a big part in saving our trees, conserving precious water and helping mother
earth;
SEC. 7.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Supreme Court En Banc hereby issues and promulgates the following:
On appeal to the En Banc, one Original (properly marked) and eight copies with annexes;
and
d. In other courts, one original (properly marked) with the stated annexes attached to it.
Annexes Served on Adverse Party. – A party required by the rules to serve a copy of his court-
bound on the adverse party need not enclose copies of those annexes that based on the record of
the court such party already has in his possession. In the event a party requests a set of the
annexes actually filed with the court, the part who filed the paper shall comply with the request
within five days from receipt.
Date of Effectivity. – This rule shall take effect on January 1, 2013 after publication in two
newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

SEC. 1. Title of the Rule– This rule shall be known and cited as the Efficient Use of Paper Rule. Manila, November 13, 2012.

SEC. 2. Applicability. – This rule shall apply to all courts and quasi-judicial bodies under the
administrative supervision of the Supreme Court.
SEC. 3. Format and Style. –
a) All pleadings, motions and similar papers intended for the court and quasi-judicial
body’s consideration and action (court-bound papers) shall written in single space
with one-and-a –half space between paragraphs, using an easily readable font style
of the party’s choice, of 14-size font, and on a 13 –inch by 8.5- inch white bond paper;
and
b) All decisions, resolutions and orders issued by courts and quasi-judicial bodies
under the administrative supervision of the Supreme Court shall comply with these
requirements. Similarly covered are the reports submitted to the courts and
transcripts of stenographic notes.
SEC. 4. Margins and Prints. — The parties shall maintain the following margins on all court-bound
papers: a left hand margin of 1.5 inches from the edge; an upper margin of 1.2 inches from
the edge; a right hand margin of 1.0 inch from the edge; and a lower margin of 1.0 inch
from the edge. Every page must be consecutively numbered.
SEC. 5. Copies to be filed. – Unless otherwise directed by the court, the number of court- bound papers
that a party is required or desires to file shall be as follows:
[A.M. No. 12-8-8-SC, 4 September 2012]
JUDICIAL AFFIDAVIT RULE
Whereas, case congestion and delays plague most courts in cities, given the huge volume of cases filed each
year and the slow and cumbersome adversarial system that the judiciary has in place;
Whereas, about 40% of criminal cases are dismissed annually owing to the fact that complainants simply
give up coming to court after repeated postponements;
Whereas, few foreign businessmen make long-term investments in the Philippines because its courts are
unable to provide ample and speedy protection to their investments, keeping its people poor;
Whereas, in order to reduce the time needed for completing the testimonies of witnesses in cases under
litigation, on February 21, 2012 the Supreme Court approved for piloting by trial courts in Quezon City the
compulsory use of judicial affidavits in place of the direct testimonies of witnesses;
Whereas, it is reported that such piloting has quickly resulted in reducing by about two-thirds the time used
for presenting the testimonies of witnesses, thus speeding up the hearing and adjudication of cases;
Whereas, the Supreme Court Committee on the Revision of the Rules of Court, headed by Senior Associate
Justice Antonio T. Carpio, and the Sub-Committee on the Revision of the Rules on Civil Procedure, headed by
Associate Justice Roberto A. Abad, have recommended for adoption a Judicial Affidavit Rule that will
replicate nationwide the success of the Quezon City experience in the use of judicial affidavits; and

a. In the Supreme Court, one original (properly marked) and four copies, unless the case is
referred to the Court En Banc, in which event, the parties shall file ten additional copies.
For the En Banc, the parties need to submit only two sets of annexes, one attached to the
original and an extra copy. For the Division, the parties need to submit also two sets of
annexes, one attached to the original and an extra copy. All members of the Court shall
share the extra copies of annexes in the interest of economy of paper.
Parties to cases before the Supreme Court are further required, on voluntary basis for the
first six months following the effectivity of this Rule and compulsorily afterwards unless
the period is extended, to submit, simultaneously with their court-bound papers, soft
copies of the same and their annexes (the latter in PDF format) either by email to the Court’s
e-mail address or by compact disc (CD). This requirement is in preparation for the eventual
establishment of an e-filing paperless system in the judiciary.
b. In the Court of Appeals and the Sandiganbayan, one original (properly marked) and two
copies with their annexes;
Whereas, the Supreme Court En Banc finds merit in the recommendation;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Supreme Court En Banc hereby issues and promulgates the following:
SEC. 1. Scope. –
(a) This Rule shall apply to all actions, proceedings, and incidents requiring the reception of
evidence before:
(1) The Metropolitan Trial Courts, the Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, the Municipal
Trial Courts, the Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, and the Shari’a Circuit Courts but
shall not apply to small claims cases under A.M. 08-8-7-SC;
(2) The Regional Trial Courts and the Shari’a District Courts;
(3) The Sandiganbayan, the Court of Tax Appeals, the Court of Appeals, and the Shari’a
Appellate Courts;
 (4) The investigating officers and bodies authorized by the Supreme Court to receive
evidence, including the Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP); and
(5) The special courts and quasi-judicial bodies, whose rules of procedure are subject to
disapproval of the Supreme Court, insofar as their existing rules of procedure
contravene the provisions of this Rule.
(b) For the purpose of brevity, the above courts, quasi-judicial bodies, or investigating officers
shall be uniformly referred to here as the “court.”
SEC. 2. Submission of Judicial Affidavits and Exhibits in lieu of direct testimonies. –
(a) The parties shall file with the court and serve on the adverse party, personally or by licensed
courier service, not later than five days before pre-trial or preliminary conference or the
scheduled hearing with respect to motions and incidents, the following:
(1) The judicial affidavits of their witnesses, which shall take the place of such witnesses’ direct
testimonies; and
(2) The parties’ documentary or object evidence, if any, which shall be attached to the judicial
affidavits and marked as Exhibits A, B, C, and so on in the case of the complainant or the
plaintiff, and as Exhibits 1, 2, 3, and so on in the case of the respondent or the defendant.
(b) Should a party or a witness desire to keep the original document or object evidence in his
possession, he may, after the same has been identified, marked as exhibit, and authenticated,
warrant in his judicial affidavit that the copy or reproduction attached to such affidavit is a
faithful copy or reproduction of that original. In addition, the party or witness shall bring the
original document or object evidence for comparison during the preliminary conference with the
attached copy, reproduction, or pictures, failing which the latter shall not be admitted.
SEC. 3. Contents of Judicial Affidavit. – A judicial affidavit shall be prepared in the language known
to the witness and, if not in English or Filipino, accompanied by a translation in English or
Filipino, and shall contain the following:
(a) The name, age, residence or business address, and occupation of the witness;
(b) The name and address of the lawyer who conducts or supervises the examination of the
witness and the place where the examination is being held;
(c) A statement that the witness is answering the questions asked of him, fully conscious that
he does so under oath, and that he may face criminal liability for false testimony or
perjury;
(d) Questions asked of the witness and his corresponding answers, consecutively numbered,
that:
(1) Show the circumstances under which the witness acquired the facts upon which he
testifies;
(2) Elicit from him those facts which are relevant to the issues that the case presents;
and
(3) Identify the attached documentary and object evidence and establish their
authenticity in accordance with the Rules of Court;
(e) The signature of the witness over his printed name; and
(f) A jurat with the signature of the notary public who administers the oath or an officer who
is authorized by law to administer the same.
SEC. 4. Sworn attestation of the lawyer. –
(a) The judicial affidavit shall contain a sworn attestation at the end, executed by the lawyer
who conducted or supervised the examination of the witness, to the effect that:
(1) He faithfully recorded or caused to be recorded the questions he asked and the
corresponding answers that the witness gave; and
(2) Neither he nor any other person then present or assisting him coached the witness
regarding the latter’s answers.
(b) A false attestation shall subject the lawyer mentioned to disciplinary action, including
disbarment.
SEC. 5. Subpoena. – If the government employee or official, or the requested witness, who is neither the
witness of the adverse party nor a hostile witness, unjustifiably declines to execute a judicial
affidavit or refuses without just cause to make the relevant books, documents, or other things under
his control available for copying, authentication, and eventual production in court, the requesting
party may avail himself of the issuance of a subpoena ad testificandum or duces tecum under Rule
21 of the Rules of Court. The rules governing the issuance of a subpoena to the witness in this case
shall be the same as when taking his deposition except that the taking of a judicial affidavit shall be
understood to be ex parte.
SEC. 6. Offer of and objections to testimony in judicial affidavit. — The party presenting the judicial
affidavit of his witness in place of direct testimony shall state the purpose of such testimony at the
start of the presentation of the witness. The adverse party may move to disqualify the witness or to
strike out his affidavit or any of the answers found in it on ground of inadmissibility. The court shall
promptly rule on the motion and, if granted, shall cause the marking of any excluded answer by
placing it in brackets under the initials of an authorized court personnel, without prejudice to a
tender of excluded evidence under Section 40 of Rule 132 of the Rules of Court.
SEC. 7. Examination of the witness on his judicial affidavit. – The adverse party shall have the right to cross-
examine the witness on his judicial affidavit and on the exhibits attached to the same. The party
who presents the witness may also examine him as on re-direct. In every case, the court shall take
active part in examining the witness to determine his credibility as well as the truth of his testimony
and to elicit the answers that it needs for resolving the issues.
SEC. 8. Oral offer of and objections to exhibits. –
(a) Upon the termination of the testimony of his last witness, a party shall immediately make an oral
offer of evidence of his documentary or object exhibits, piece by piece, in their chronological
order, stating the purpose or purposes for which he offers the particular exhibit.
(b) After each piece of exhibit is offered, the adverse party shall state the legal ground for his
objection, if any, to its admission, and the court shall immediately make its ruling respecting that
exhibit.
(c) Since the documentary or object exhibits form part of the judicial affidavits that describe and
authenticate them, it is sufficient that such exhibits are simply cited by their markings during the
offers, the objections, and the rulings, dispensing with the description of each exhibit.
SEC. 9. Application of rule to criminal actions. –
(a) This rule shall apply to all criminal actions:
(1) Where the maximum of the imposable penalty does not exceed six years;
(2) Where the accused agrees to the use of judicial affidavits, irrespective of the penalty
involved; or
(3) With respect to the civil aspect of the actions, whatever the penalties involved are.
 (b) The prosecution shall submit the judicial affidavits of its witnesses not later than five days
before the pre-trial, serving copies of the same upon the accused. The complainant or
public prosecutor shall attach to the affidavits such documentary or object evidence as he
may have, marking them as Exhibits A, B, C and so on. No further judicial affidavit,
documentary, or object evidence shall be admitted at the trial.
(c) If the accused desires to be heard on his defense after receipt of the judicial affidavits of
the prosecution, he shall have the option to submit his judicial affidavit as well as those of
his witnesses to the court within ten days from receipt of such affidavits and serve a copy
of each on the public and private prosecutor, including his documentary and object
evidence previously marked as Exhibits 1, 2, 3, and so on. These affidavits shall serve as
direct testimonies of the accused and his witnesses when they appear before the court to
testify.
SEC. 10. Effect of non-compliance with the Judicial Affidavit Rule. –
(a) A party who fails to submit the required judicial affidavits and exhibits on time shall be
deemed to have waived their submission. The court may, however, allow only once the
late submission of the same provided, the delay is for a valid reason, would not unduly
prejudice the opposing party, and the defaulting party pays a fine of not less than
P1,000.00 nor more than P5,000.00, at the discretion of the court.
(b) The court shall not consider the affidavit of any witness who fails to appear at the
scheduled hearing of the case as required. Counsel who fails to appear without valid cause
despite notice shall be deemed to have waived his client’s right to confront by cross-
examination the witnesses there present.
(c) The court shall not admit as evidence judicial affidavits that do not conform to the content
requirements of Section 3 and the attestation requirement of Section 4 above. The court
may, however, allow only once the subsequent submission of the compliant replacement
affidavits before the hearing or trial provided the delay is for a valid reason and would not
unduly prejudice the opposing party and provided further, that public or private counsel
responsible for their preparation and submission pays a fine of not less than Pl,000.00 nor
more than P5,000.00, at the discretion of the court.
SEC. 11. Repeal or modification of inconsistent rules. – The provisions of the Rules of Court and the rules of
procedure governing investigating officers and bodies authorized by the Supreme Court to receive
evidence are repealed or modified insofar as these are inconsistent with the provisions of this Rule.
The rules of procedure governing quasi-judicial bodies inconsistent herewith are hereby
disapproved.
SEC. 12. Effectivity. — This rule shall take effect on January 1, 2013 following its publication in two
newspapers of general circulation not later than September 15, 2012. It shall also apply to existing
cases.
Manila, 4 September 2012.
A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC
2004 Rules on Notarial Practice
RESOLUTION
Acting on the compliance dated 05 July 2004 and on the proposed Rules on Notarial Practice of 2004
submitted by the Sub-Committee for the Study, Drafting and Formulation of the Rules Governing the
Appointment of Notaries Public and the Performance and Exercise of Their Official Functions, of the
Committees on Revision of the Rules of Court and on Legal Education and Bar Matters, the Court Resolved
to APPROVE the proposed Rules on Notarial Practice of 2004, with modifications, thus:
2004 RULES ON NOTARIAL PRACTICE
RULE I
IMPLEMENTATION
SECTION. 1. Title. - These Rules shall be known as the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice.
SECTION. 2. Purposes. - These Rules shall be applied and construed to advance the following purposes:
(a) to promote, serve, and protect public interest;
(b) to simplify, clarify, and modernize the rules governing notaries public; and
(c) to foster ethical conduct among notaries public.
SECTION. 3. Interpretation. - Unless the context of these Rules otherwise indicates, words in the singular
include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular.
RULE II
DEFINITIONS
SECTION. 1. Acknowledgment. - “Acknowledgment” refers to an act in which an individual on a single
occasion:
(a) appears in person before the notary public and presents an integrally complete
instrument or document;
(b) is attested to be personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public
through competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules; and –
(c) represents to the notary public that the signature on the instrument or document was
voluntarily affixed by him for the purposes stated in the instrument or document, declares
that he has executed the instrument or document as his free and voluntary act and deed,
and, if he acts in a particular representative capacity, that he has the authority to sign in
that capacity.
SECTION. 2. Affirmation or Oath. - The term “Affirmation” or “Oath” refers to an act in which an
individual on a single occasion:
(a) appears in person before the notary public;
(b) is personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public through
competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules; and
(d) avows under penalty of law to the whole truth of the contents of the instrument or
document.
SECTION. 3. Commission. - “Commission” refers to the grant of authority to perform notarial acts and
to the written evidence of the authority.
SECTION. 4. Copy Certification. - “Copy Certification” refers to a notarial act in which a notary public:
(a) is presented with an instrument or document that is neither a vital record, a public record,
nor publicly recordable;
(b) copies or supervises the copying of the instrument or document;
(c) compares the instrument or document with the copy; and
(d) determines that the copy is accurate and complete.
SECTION. 5. Notarial Register. - “Notarial Register” refers to a permanently bound book with
numbered pages containing a chronological record of notarial acts performed by a
notary public.
SECTION. 6. Jurat. – “Jurat” refers to an act in which an individual on a single occasion:
(a) appears in person before the notary public and presents an instrument or document;
(b) is personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public through
competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules;
(c) signs the instrument or document in the presence of the notary; and
(d) takes an oath or affirmation before the notary public as to such instrument or document.
 SECTION. 7. Notarial Act and Notarization. - “Notarial Act” and “Notarization” refer to any act that a
notary public is empowered to perform under these Rules.
SECTION. 8. Notarial Certificate. - “Notarial Certificate” refers to the part of, or attachment to, a
notarized instrument or document that is completed by the notary public, bears the
notary's signature and seal, and states the facts attested to by the notary public in a
particular notarization as provided for by these Rules.
SECTION. 9. Notary Public and Notary. - “Notary Public” and “Notary” refer to any person
commissioned to perform official acts under these Rules.
SECTION. 10. Principal. - “Principal” refers to a person appearing before the notary public whose act is
the subject of notarization.
SECTION. 11. Regular Place of Work or Business. - The term “regular place of work or business” refers
to a stationary office in the city or province wherein the notary public renders legal and
notarial services.
SECTION. 12. Competent Evidence of Identity. - The phrase “competent evidence of identity” refers to
the identification of an individual based on:
(a) at least one current identification document issued by an official agency bearing the
photograph and signature of the individual; or
(b) the oath or affirmation of one credible witness not privy to the instrument, document or
transaction who is personally known to the notary public and who personally knows the
individual, or of two credible witnesses neither of whom is privy to the instrument,
document or transaction who each personally knows the individual and shows to the
notary public documentary identification.
SECTION. 13. Official Seal or Seal. - “Official seal” or “Seal” refers to a device for affixing a mark, image or
impression on all papers officially signed by the notary public conforming the requisites
prescribed by these Rules.
SECTION. 14. Signature Witnessing. - The term “signature witnessing” refers to a notarial act in which an
individual on a single occasion:
(a) appears in person before the notary public and presents an instrument or document;
(b) is personally known to the notary public or identified by the notary public through competent
evidence of identity as defined by these Rules; and
(c) signs the instrument or document in the presence of the notary public.
SECTION. 15. Court. - “Court” refers to the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
SECTION. 16. Petitioner. - “Petitioner” refers to a person who applies for a notarial commission.
SECTION. 17. Office of the Court Administrator. - “Office of the Court Administrator” refers to the Office of the
Court Administrator of the Supreme Court.
SECTION. 18. Executive Judge. - “Executive Judge” refers to the Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court of a
city or province who issues a notarial commission.
SECTION. 19. Vendor. - “Vendor” under these Rules refers to a seller of a notarial seal and shall include a
wholesaler or retailer.
SECTION. 20. Manufacturer. - “Manufacturer” under these Rules refers to one who produces a notarial seal and
shall include an engraver and seal maker.
RULE III
COMMISSIONING OF NOTARY PUBLIC
SECTION. 1. Qualifications. - A notarial commission may be issued by an Executive Judge to any
qualified person who submits a petition in accordance with these Rules.
To be eligible for commissioning as notary public, the petitioner:
(1) must be a citizen of the Philippines;
(2) must be over twenty-one (21) years of age;
(4) must be a resident in the Philippines for at least one (1) year and maintains a regular place
of work or business in the city or province where the commission is to be issued;
(3) must be a member of the Philippine Bar in good standing with clearances from the Office
of the Bar Confidant of the Supreme Court and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; and
(5) must not have been convicted in the first instance of any crime involving moral turpitude.
SECTION. 2. Form of the Petition and Supporting Documents. - Every petition for a notarial commission
shall be in writing, verified, and shall include the following:
(a) a statement containing the petitioner's personal qualifications, including the petitioner's date of
birth, residence, telephone number, professional tax receipt, roll of attorney's number and IBP
membership number;
(b) certification of good moral character of the petitioner by at least two (2) executive officers of the
local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines where he is applying for commission;
(c) proof of payment for the filing of the petition as required by these Rules; and
(d) three (3) passport-size color photographs with light background taken within thirty (30) days of
the application. The photograph should not be retouched. The petitioner shall sign his name at
the bottom part of the photographs.
SECTION. 3. Application Fee. - Every petitioner for a notarial commission shall pay the application fee as
prescribed in the Rules of Court.
SECTION. 4. Summary Hearing on the Petition. - The Executive Judge shall conduct a summary hearing on
the petition and shall grant the same if:
(a) the petition is sufficient in form and substance;
(b) the petitioner proves the allegations contained in the petition; and
(d) the petitioner establishes to the satisfaction of the Executive Judge that he has read and fully
understood these Rules.
The Executive Judge shall forthwith issue a commission and a Certificate of Authorization to Purchase
a Notarial Seal in favor of the petitioner.
SECTION. 5. Notice of Summary Hearing. -
(a) The notice of summary hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the
city or province where the hearing shall be conducted and posted in a conspicuous place in the
offices of the Executive Judge and of the Clerk of Court. The cost of the publication shall be borne
by the petitioner. The notice may include more than one petitioner.
(b) The notice shall be substantially in the following form:
NOTICE OF HEARING
Notice is hereby given that a summary hearing on the petition for notarial commission of (name of
petitioner) shall be held on (date) at (place) at (time). Any person who has any cause or reason to
object to the grant of the petition may file a verified written opposition thereto, received by the
undersigned before the date of the summary hearing.
_____________________
Executive Judge
SECTION. 6. Opposition to Petition. - Any person who has any cause or reason to object to the grant of the
petition may file a verified written opposition thereto. The opposition must be received by the
Executive Judge before the date of the summary hearing.

SECTION. 7. Form of Notarial Commission. - The commissioning of a notary public shall be in a formal order
signed by the Executive Judge substantially in the following form:
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF ______________
This is to certify that (name of notary public) of (regular place of work or business) in (city or
province) was on this (date) day of (month) two thousand and (year) commissioned by the
undersigned as a notary public, within and for the said jurisdiction, for a term ending the thirty-first
day of December (year)
________________________
Executive Judge
SECTION. 8. Period Of Validity of Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal. - The Certificate
of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal shall be valid for a period of three (3) months from
date of issue, unless extended by the Executive Judge.
A mark, image or impression of the seal that may be purchased by the notary public pursuant to the
Certificate shall be presented to the Executive Judge for approval prior to use.
SECTION. 9. Form of Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal. - The Certificate of
Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal shall substantially be in the following form:
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF_____________
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION
TO PURCHASE A NOTARIAL SEAL
This is to authorize (name of notary public) of (city or province) who was commissioned by the
undersigned as a notary public, within and for the said jurisdiction, for a term ending, the thirty-first
of December (year) to purchase a notarial seal.
Issued this (day) of (month) (year).
________________________
Executive Judge
SECTION. 10. Official Seal of Notary Public. - Every person commissioned as notary public shall have only one
official seal of office in accordance with these Rules.
SECTION. 11. Jurisdiction and Term. - A person commissioned as notary public may perform notarial
acts in any place within the territorial jurisdiction of the commissioning court for a
period of two (2) years commencing the first day of January of the year in which the
commissioning is made, unless earlier revoked or the notary public has resigned under
these Rules and the Rules of Court.
SECTION. 12. Register of Notaries Public. - The Executive Judge shall keep and maintain a Register of Notaries
Public in his jurisdiction which shall contain, among others, the dates of issuance or revocation
or suspension of notarial commissions, and the resignation or death of notaries public. The
Executive Judge shall furnish the Office of the Court Administrator information and data
recorded in the register of notaries public. The Office of the Court Administrator shall keep a
permanent, complete and updated database of such records.
SECTION. 13. Renewal of Commission. - A notary public may file a written application with the
Executive Judge for the renewal of his commission within forty-five (45) days before the
expiration thereof. A mark, image or impression of the seal of the notary public shall be
attached to the application.
Failure to file said application will result in the deletion of the name of the notary public in the
register of notaries public.
The notary public thus removed from the Register of Notaries Public may only be reinstated
therein after he is issued a new commission in accordance with these Rules.
SECTION. 14. Action on Application for Renewal of Commission. - The Executive Judge shall, upon payment
of the application fee mentioned in Section 3 above of this Rule, act on an application for the
renewal of a commission within thirty (30) days from receipt thereof. If the application is
denied, the Executive Judge shall state the reasons therefor.
RULE IV
POWERS AND LIMITATIONS OF NOTARIES PUBLIC
SECTION. 1. SECTION 1. Powers. –
(a) A notary public is empowered to perform the following notarial acts:
(1) acknowledgments;
(2) oaths and affirmations;
(3) jurats;
(4) signature witnessings;
(5) copy certifications; and
(6) any other act authorized by these Rules.
(b) A notary public is authorized to certify the affixing of a signature by thumb or other mark
on an instrument or document presented for notarization if:
(1) the thumb or other mark is affixed in the presence of the notary public and of two (2)
disinterested and unaffected witnesses to the instrument or document;
(2) both witnesses sign their own names in addition to the thumb or other mark;
(4) the notary public writes below the thumb or other mark: "Thumb or Other Mark
affixed by (name of signatory by mark) in the presence of (names and addresses of
witnesses) and undersigned notary public"; and
(3) the notary public notarizes the signature by thumb or other mark through an
acknowledgment, jurat, or signature witnessing.
(c) A notary public is authorized to sign on behalf of a person who is physically unable to sign
or make a mark on an instrument or document if:
(1) the notary public is directed by the person unable to sign or make a mark to sign on
his behalf;
(2) the signature of the notary public is affixed in the presence of two disinterested and
unaffected witnesses to the instrument or document;
(4) both witnesses sign their own names ;
(3) the notary public writes below his signature: “Signature affixed by notary in
presence of (names and addresses of person and two [2] witnesses)”; and
(5) the notary public notarizes his signature by acknowledgment or jurat.
SECTION. 2. Prohibitions. –
(a) A notary public shall not perform a notarial act outside his regular place of work or
business; provided, however, that on certain exceptional occasions or situations, a
notarial act may be performed at the request of the parties in the following sites located
within his territorial jurisdiction:
(1) public offices, convention halls, and similar places where oaths of office may be
administered;
(2) public function areas in hotels and similar places for the signing of instruments or
documents requiring notarization;
(4) hospitals and other medical institutions where a party to an instrument or document
is confined for treatment; and
 (3) any place where a party to an instrument or document requiring notarization is
under detention.
(b) A person shall not perform a notarial act if the person involved as signatory to the
instrument or document –
(1) is not in the notary's presence personally at the time of the notarization; and
(2) is not personally known to the notary public or otherwise identified by the notary
public through competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules.
SECTION. 3. Disqualifications. - A notary public is disqualified from performing a notarial act if he:
(a) is a party to the instrument or document that is to be notarized;
(b) will receive, as a direct or indirect result, any commission, fee, advantage, right, title,
interest, cash, property, or other consideration, except as provided by these Rules and by
law; or
(c) is a spouse, common-law partner, ancestor, descendant, or relative by affinity or
consanguinity of the principal within the fourth civil degree.
SECTION. 4. Refusal to Notarize. - A notary public shall not perform any notarial act described in these Rules
for any person requesting such an act even if he tenders the appropriate fee specified by these
Rules if:
(a) the notary knows or has good reason to believe that the notarial act or transaction is unlawful or
immoral;
(b) the signatory shows a demeanor which engenders in the mind of the notary public reasonable
doubt as to the former's knowledge of the consequences of the transaction requiring a notarial
act; and
(d) in the notary's judgment, the signatory is not acting of his or her own free will.
SECTION. 5. False or Incomplete Certificate. - A notary public shall not:
(a) execute a certificate containing information known or believed by the notary to be false.
(b) affix an official signature or seal on a notarial certificate that is incomplete.
SECTION. 6. Improper Instruments or Documents. - A notary public shall not notarize:
(a) a blank or incomplete instrument or document; or
(b) an instrument or document without appropriate notarial certification.
RULE V
FEES OF NOTARY PUBLIC
SECTION 1. Imposition and Waiver of Fees. - For performing a notarial act, a notary public may charge the
maximum fee as prescribed by the Supreme Court unless he waives the fee in whole or in part.
SECTION 2. Travel Fees and Expenses. - A notary public may charge travel fees and expenses separate and
apart from the notarial fees prescribed in the preceding section when traveling to perform a notarial act if
the notary public and the person requesting the notarial act agree prior to the travel.
SECTION 3. Prohibited Fees. – No fee or compensation of any kind, except those expressly prescribed and
allowed herein, shall be collected or received for any notarial service.
SECTION 4. Payment or Refund of Fees. - A notary public shall not require payment of any fees specified
herein prior to the performance of a notarial act unless otherwise agreed upon.
Any travel fees and expenses paid to a notary public prior to the performance of a notarial act are not subject
to refund if the notary public had already traveled but failed to complete in whole or in part the notarial act
for reasons beyond his control and without negligence on his part.
SECTION 5. Notice of Fees. - A notary public who charges a fee for notarial services shall issue a receipt
registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and keep a journal of notarial fees. He shall enter in the
journal all fees charged for services rendered.
A notary public shall post in a conspicuous place in his office a complete schedule of chargeable notarial fees.
RULE VI
NOTARIAL REGISTER
SECTION 1. Form of Notarial Register. –
(a) A notary public shall keep, maintain, protect and provide for lawful inspection as provided in these
Rules, a chronological official notarial register of notarial acts consisting of a permanently bound
book with numbered pages.
The register shall be kept in books to be furnished by the Solicitor General to any notary public
upon request and upon payment of the cost thereof. The register shall be duly paged, and on the
first page, the Solicitor General shall certify the number of pages of which the book consists.
For purposes of this provision, a Memorandum of Agreement or Understanding may be entered
into by the Office of the Solicitor General and the Office of the Court Administrator.
(b) A notary public shall keep only one active notarial register at any given time.
SECTION 2. Entries in the Notarial Register. –
(a) For every notarial act, the notary shall record in the notarial register at the time of notarization the
following:
(1) the entry number and page number;
(2) the date and time of day of the notarial act;
(3) the type of notarial act;
(4) the title or description of the instrument, document or proceeding;
(5) the name and address of each principal;
(6) the competent evidence of identity as defined by these Rules if the signatory is not personally
known to the notary;
(7) the name and address of each credible witness swearing to or affirming the person's identity;
(8) the fee charged for the notarial act;
(9) the address where the notarization was performed if not in the notary's regular place of work
or business; and
(10) any other circumstance the notary public may deem of significance or relevance.
(b) A notary public shall record in the notarial register the reasons and circumstances for not
completing a notarial act.
(c) A notary public shall record in the notarial register the circumstances of any request to inspect or
copy an entry in the notarial register, including the requester's name, address, signature,
thumbmark or other recognized identifier, and evidence of identity. The reasons for refusal to
allow inspection or copying of a journal entry shall also be recorded.
(d) When the instrument or document is a contract, the notary public shall keep an original copy thereof
as part of his records and enter in said records a brief description of the substance thereof and
shall give to each entry a consecutive number, beginning with number one in each calendar year.
He shall also retain a duplicate original copy for the Clerk of Court.
(e) The notary public shall give to each instrument or document executed, sworn to, or acknowledged
before him a number corresponding to the one in his register, and shall also state on the
instrument or document the page/s of his register on which the same is recorded. No blank line
shall be left between entries.
(f) In case of a protest of any draft, bill of exchange or promissory note, the notary public shall make a
full and true record of all proceedings in relation thereto and shall note therein whether the
 demand for the sum of money was made, by whom, when, and where; whether he presented such
draft, bill or note; whether notices were given, to whom and in what manner; where the same
was made, when and to whom and where directed; and of every other fact touching the same.
(g) At the end of each week, the notary public shall certify in his notarial register the number of
instruments or documents executed, sworn to, acknowledged, or protested before him; or if none,
this certificate shall show this fact.
(h) A certified copy of each month's entries and a duplicate original copy of any instrument
acknowledged before the notary public shall, within the first ten (10) days of the month following,
be forwarded to the Clerk of Court and shall be under the responsibility of such officer. If there is
no entry to certify for the month, the notary shall forward a statement to this effect in lieu of
certified copies herein required.
SECTION 3. Signatures and Thumbmarks. - At the time of notarization, the notary's notarial register shall be
signed or a thumb or other mark affixed by each:
(a) principal;
(b) credible witness swearing or affirming to the identity of a principal; and
(c) witness to a signature by thumb or other mark, or to a signing by the notary public on behalf
of a person physically unable to sign.
SECTION 4. Inspection, Copying and Disposal. –
(a) In the notary's presence, any person may inspect an entry in the notarial register, during regular
business hours, provided;
(1) the person's identity is personally known to the notary public or proven through competent
evidence of identity as defined in these Rules;
(2) the person affixes a signature and thumb or other mark or other recognized identifier, in the
notarial register in a separate, dated entry;
(3) the person specifies the month, year, type of instrument or document, and name of the
principal in the notarial act or acts sought; and
(4) the person is shown only the entry or entries specified by him.
(b) The notarial register may be examined by a law enforcement officer in the course of an official
investigation or by virtue of a court order.
(c) If the notary public has a reasonable ground to believe that a person has a criminal intent or wrongful
motive in requesting information from the notarial register, the notary shall deny access to any
entry or entries therein.
SECTION 5. Loss, Destruction or Damage of Notarial Register. –
(a) In case the notarial register is stolen, lost, destroyed, damaged, or otherwise rendered unusable or
illegible as a record of notarial acts, the notary public shall, within ten (10) days after informing
the appropriate law enforcement agency in the case of theft or vandalism, notify the Executive
Judge by any means providing a proper receipt or acknowledgment, including registered mail
and also provide a copy or number of any pertinent police report.
(b) Upon revocation or expiration of a notarial commission, or death of the notary public, the notarial
register and notarial records shall immediately be delivered to the office of the Executive Judge.
SECTION 6. Issuance of Certified True Copies. - The notary public shall supply a certified true copy of the
notarial record, or any part thereof, to any person applying for such copy upon payment of the legal fees.
RULE VII
SIGNATURE AND SEAL OF NOTARY PUBLIC
SECTION 1. Official Signature. – In notarizing a paper instrument or document, a notary public shall:
(a) sign by hand on the notarial certificate only the name indicated and as appearing on the
notary's commission;
(b) not sign using a facsimile stamp or printing device; and
(c) affix his official signature only at the time the notarial act is performed.
SECTION 2. Official Seal. –
(a) Every person commissioned as notary public shall have a seal of office, to be procured at his own expense,
which shall not be possessed or owned by any other person. It shall be of metal, circular in shape, two inches
in diameter, and shall have the name of the city or province and the word “Philippines” and his own name
on the margin and the roll of attorney's number on the face thereof, with the words "notary public" across
the center. A mark, image or impression of such seal shall be made directly on the paper or parchment on
which the writing appears.
(b) The official seal shall be affixed only at the time the notarial act is performed and shall be clearly
impressed by the notary public on every page of the instrument or document notarized.
(c) When not in use, the official seal shall be kept safe and secure and shall be accessible only to the notary
public or the person duly authorized by him.
(d) Within five (5) days after the official seal of a notary public is stolen, lost, damaged or other otherwise
rendered unserviceable in affixing a legible image, the notary public, after informing the appropriate law
enforcement agency, shall notify the Executive Judge in writing, providing proper receipt or
acknowledgment, including registered mail, and in the event of a crime committed, provide a copy or entry
number of the appropriate police record. Upon receipt of such notice, if found in order by the Executive
Judge, the latter shall order the notary public to cause notice of such loss or damage to be published, once a
week for three (3) consecutive weeks, in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or province where
the notary public is commissioned. Thereafter, the Executive Judge shall issue to the notary public a new
Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal.
(e) Within five (5) days after the death or resignation of the notary public, or the revocation or expiration of
a notarial commission, the official seal shall be surrendered to the Executive Judge and shall be destroyed or
defaced in public during office hours. In the event that the missing, lost or damaged seal is later found or
surrendered, it shall be delivered by the notary public to the Executive Judge to be disposed of in accordance
with this section. Failure to effect such surrender shall constitute contempt of court. In the event of death of
the notary public, the person in possession of the official seal shall have the duty to surrender it to the
Executive Judge.
SECTION 3. Seal Image. - The notary public shall affix a single, clear, legible, permanent, and photographically
reproducible mark, image or impression of the official seal beside his signature on the notarial certificate of
a paper instrument or document.
SECTION 4. Obtaining and Providing Seal. –
(a) A vendor or manufacturer of notarial seals may not sell said product without a written authorization
from the Executive Judge.
(b) Upon written application and after payment of the application fee, the Executive Judge may issue an
authorization to sell to a vendor or manufacturer of notarial seals after verification and investigation of the
latter's qualifications. The Executive Judge shall charge an authorization fee in the amount of PhP 4,000 for
the vendor and PhP 8,000 for the manufacturer. If a manufacturer is also a vendor, he shall only pay the
manufacturer's authorization fee.
(c) The authorization shall be in effect for a period of four (4) years from the date of its issuance and may be
renewed by the Executive Judge for a similar period upon payment of the authorization fee mentioned in the
preceding paragraph.
(d) A vendor or manufacturer shall not sell a seal to a buyer except upon submission of a certified copy of
the commission and the Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal issued by the Executive
Judge. A notary public obtaining a new seal as a result of change of name shall present to the vendor or
manufacturer a certified copy of the Confirmation of the Change of Name issued by the Executive Judge.
(e) Only one seal may be sold by a vendor or manufacturer for each Certificate of Authorization to Purchase
a Notarial Seal.
(f) After the sale, the vendor or manufacturer shall affix a mark, image or impression of the seal to the
Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal and submit the completed Certificate to the Executive
Judge. Copies of the Certificate of Authorization to Purchase a Notarial Seal and the buyer's commission shall
be kept in the files of the vendor or manufacturer for four (4) years after the sale.
(g) A notary public obtaining a new seal as a result of change of name shall present to the vendor a certified
copy of the order confirming the change of name issued by the Executive Judge.
RULE VIII
NOTARIAL CERTIFICATES
SECTION 1. Form of Notarial Certificate. - The notarial form used for any notarial instrument or document
shall conform to all the requisites prescribed herein, the Rules of Court and all other provisions of issuances
by the Supreme Court and in applicable laws.
SECTION 2. Contents of the Concluding Part of the Notarial Certificate. – The notarial certificate shall include
the following:
(a) the name of the notary public as exactly indicated in the commission;
(b) the serial number of the commission of the notary public;
(c) the words "Notary Public" and the province or city where the notary public is commissioned,
the expiration date of the commission, the office address of the notary public; and
(d) the roll of attorney's number, the professional tax receipt number and the place and date of
issuance thereof, and the IBP membership number.
RULE IX
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY OF NOTARIES PUBLIC
SECTION 1. Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act. - A certificate of authority evidencing the authenticity
of the official seal and signature of a notary public shall be issued by the Executive Judge upon request in
substantially the following form:
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY FOR A NOTARIAL ACT
I, (name, title, jurisdiction of the Executive Judge), certify that (name of notary public), the person
named in the seal and signature on the attached document, is a Notary Public in and for the
(City/Municipality/Province) of the Republic of the Philippines and authorized to act as such at the
time of the document's notarization.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have affixed below my signature and seal of this office this (date) day of
(month) (year).
_________________
(official signature)
(seal of Executive Judge)
RULE X
CHANGES OF STATUS OF NOTARY PUBLIC
SECTION 1. Change of Name and Address. -
Within ten (10) days after the change of name of the notary public by court order or by marriage, or
after ceasing to maintain the regular place of work or business, the notary public shall submit a
signed and dated notice of such fact to the Executive Judge.
The notary public shall not notarize until:
(a) he receives from the Executive Judge a confirmation of the new name of the notary
public and/or change of regular place of work or business; and
(b) a new seal bearing the new name has been obtained.
The foregoing notwithstanding, until the aforementioned steps have been completed, the notary
public may continue to use the former name or regular place of work or business in performing
notarial acts for three (3) months from the date of the change, which may be extended once for valid
and just cause by the Executive Judge for another period not exceeding three (3) months.
SECTION 2. Resignation. - A notary public may resign his commission by personally submitting a
written, dated and signed formal notice to the Executive Judge together with his notarial seal,
notarial register and records. Effective from the date indicated in the notice, he shall immediately
cease to perform notarial acts. In the event of his incapacity to personally appear, the submission of
the notice may be performed by his duly authorized representative.
SECTION 3. Publication of Resignation. - The Executive Judge shall immediately order the Clerk of
Court to post in a conspicuous place in the offices of the Executive Judge and of the Clerk of Court the
names of notaries public who have resigned their notarial commissions and the effective dates of
their resignation.
RULE XI
REVOCATION OF COMMISSION AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS
SECTION 1. Revocation and Administrative Sanctions. –
(a) The Executive Judge shall revoke a notarial commission for any ground on which an
application for a commission may be denied.
(b) In addition, the Executive Judge may revoke the commission of, or impose appropriate
administrative sanctions upon, any notary public who:
(1) fails to keep a notarial register;
(2) fails to make the proper entry or entries in his notarial register concerning his notarial
acts;
(3) fails to send the copy of the entries to the Executive Judge within the first ten (10) days
of the month following;
(4) fails to affix to acknowledgments the date of expiration of his commission;
(5) fails to submit his notarial register, when filled, to the Executive Judge;
(6) fails to make his report, within a reasonable time, to the Executive Judge concerning
the performance of his duties, as may be required by the judge;
(7) fails to require the presence of a principal at the time of the notarial act;
(8) fails to identify a principal on the basis of personal knowledge or competent evidence;
(9) executes a false or incomplete certificate under Section 5, Rule IV;
(10) knowingly performs or fails to perform any other act prohibited or mandated by
these Rules; and
(11) commits any other dereliction or act which in the judgment of the Executive Judge
constitutes good cause for revocation of commission or imposition of administrative
sanction.
(c) Upon verified complaint by an interested, affected or aggrieved person, the notary public
shall be required to file a verified answer to the complaint. If the answer of the notary public is
not satisfactory, the Executive Judge shall conduct a summary hearing. If the allegations of the
complaint are not proven, the complaint shall be dismissed. If the charges are duly established,
the Executive Judge shall impose the appropriate administrative sanctions. In either case, the
aggrieved party may appeal the decision to the Supreme Court for review. Pending the appeal,
an order imposing disciplinary sanctions shall be immediately executory, unless otherwise
ordered by the Supreme Court.
(d) The Executive Judge may motu proprio initiate administrative proceedings against a notary
public, subject to the procedures prescribed in paragraph (c) above and impose the appropriate
administrative sanctions on the grounds mentioned in the preceding paragraphs (a) and (b).
SECTION 2. Supervision and Monitoring of Notaries Public. - The Executive Judge shall at all times
exercise supervision over notaries public and shall closely monitor their activities.
SECTION 3. Publication of Revocations and Administrative Sanctions. - The Executive Judge shall
immediately order the Clerk of Court to post in a conspicuous place in the offices of the Executive
Judge and of the Clerk of Court the names of notaries public who have been administratively
sanctioned or whose notarial commissions have been revoked.
SECTION 4. Death of Notary Public. - If a notary public dies before fulfilling the obligations in Section
4(e), Rule VI and Section 2(e), Rule VII, the Executive Judge, upon being notified of such death, shall
forthwith cause compliance with the provisions of these sections.
RULE XII
SPECIAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 1. Punishable Acts. - The Executive Judge shall cause the prosecution of any person who:
(a) knowingly acts or otherwise impersonates a notary public;
(b) knowingly obtains, conceals, defaces, or destroys the seal, notarial register, or official records
of a notary public; and
(c) knowingly solicits, coerces, or in any way influences a notary public to commit official
misconduct.
SEC 2. Reports to the Supreme Court. - The Executive Judge concerned shall submit semestral reports to the
Supreme Court on discipline and prosecution of notaries public.
RULE XIII
REPEALING AND EFFECTIVITY PROVISIONS
SECTION 1. Repeal. - All rules and parts of rules, including issuances of the Supreme Court inconsistent
herewith, are hereby repealed or accordingly modified.
SECTION 2. Effective Date. - These Rules shall take effect on the first day of August 2004, and shall be
published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines which provides sufficiently wide
circulation.
Promulgated this 6th day of July, 2004.
[B.M. 850. October 2, 2001]
MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
RESOLUTION
ADOPTING THE REVISED RULES ON THE CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE
INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES
Considering the Rules on the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) for members of the Integrated
Bar of the Philippines (IBP), recommended by the IBP, endorsed by the Philippine Judicial Academy, and
reviewed and passed upon by the Supreme Court Committee on Legal Education, the Court hereby resolves
to approve, as it hereby approves, the following Revised Rules for proper implementation:
Rule 1. PURPOSE
SECTION 1. Purpose of the MCLE. Continuing legal education is required of members of the Integrated
Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to ensure that throughout their career, they keep abreast with law and
jurisprudence, maintain the ethics of the profession and enhance the standards of the practice of law.
Rule 2. MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
SECTION 1. Commencement of the MCLE. Within two (2) months from the approval of these Rules by the
Supreme Court En Banc, the MCLE Committee shall be constituted and shall commence the
implementation of the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) program in accordance with these
Rules.
SECTION 2. Requirements of completion of MCLE. Members of the IBP not exempt under Rule 7 shall complete
every three (3) years at least thirty-six (36) hours of continuing legal education activities approved by the
MCLE Committee. Of the 36 hours:
(a) At least six (6) hours shall be devoted to legal ethics equivalent to six (6) credit units.
(b) At least four (4) hours shall be devoted to trial and pretrial skills equivalent to four (4) credit
units.
(c) At least five (5) hours shall be devoted to alternative dispute resolution equivalent to five (5)
credit units.
(d) At least nine (9) hours shall be devoted to updates on substantive and procedural laws, and
jurisprudence equivalent to nine (9) credit units.
(e) At least four (4) hours shall be devoted to legal writing and oral advocacy equivalent to four
(4) credit units.
(f) At least two (2) hours shall be devoted to international law and international
conventions equivalent to two (2) credit units.
(g) The remaining six (6) hours shall be devoted to such subjects as may be prescribed by the MCLE
Committee equivalent to six (6) credit units.
Rule 3. COMPLIANCE PERIOD
SECTION 1. Initial compliance period. -- The initial compliance period shall begin not later than three (3)
months from the adoption of these Rules. Except for the initial compliance period for members admitted or
readmitted after the establishment of the program, all compliance periods shall be for thirty-six (36) months
and shall begin the day after the end of the previous compliance period.
SECTION 2. Compliance Groups. -- Members of the IBP not exempt from the MCLE requirement shall be
divided into three (3) compliance groups, namely:
(a) Compliance group 1. -- Members in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila are assigned
to Compliance Group 1.
(b) Compliance group 2. -- Members in Luzon outside NCR are assigned to Compliance Group 2.
(c) Compliance group 3. -- Members in Visayas and Mindanao are assigned to Compliance Group 3.
Nevertheless, members may participate in any legal education activity wherever it may be
available to earn credit unit toward compliance with the MCLE requirement.
SECTION 3. Compliance period of members admitted or readmitted after establishment of the program.
Members admitted or readmitted to the Bar after the establishment of the program shall be assigned to the
appropriate Compliance Group based on their Chapter membership on the date of admission or readmission.
The initial compliance period after admission or readmission shall begin on the first day of the month of
admission or readmission and shall end on the same day as that of all other members in the same Compliance
Group.
(a) Where four (4) months or less remain of the initial compliance period after admission or
readmission, the member is not required to comply with the program requirement for the initial
compliance.
(b) Where more than four (4) months remain of the initial compliance period after admission or
readmission, the member shall be required to complete a number of hours of approved continuing legal
education activities equal to the number of months remaining in the compliance period in which the
member is admitted or readmitted. Such member shall be required to complete a number of hours of
education in legal ethics in proportion to the number of months remaining in the compliance period.
Fractions of hours shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
Rule 4. COMPUTATION OF CREDIT UNITS(CU)
SECTION 1. Guidelines. - CREDIT UNITS ARE EQUIVALENT TO CREDIT HOURS. CREDIT UNITS measure
compliance with the MCLE requirement under the Rules, based on the category of the lawyers
participation in the MCLE activity. The following are the guidelines for computing credit units and
the supporting documents required therefor:
PROGRAMS/ACTIVITY CREDIT UNITS SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
1. SEMINARS, CONVENTIONS, CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA, IN-HOUSE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS,
DIALOGUES, ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS BY APPROVED PROVIDERS UNDER RULE 7 AND OTHER RELATED
RULES
1.1 PARTICIPANT/ 1 CU PER HOUR OF CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDEE ATTENDANCE ATTENDANCE WITH
NUMBER OF HOURS
1.2 LECTURER FULL CU FOR THE PHOTOCOPY OF RESOURCE SUBJECT PER PLAQUE OR
SPEAKER COMPLIANCE PERIOD SPONSORS CERTIFICATION
1.3 PANELIST/REACTOR 1/2 OF CU FOR THE CERTIFICATION COMMENTATOR/ SUBJECT PER FROM
MODERATOR/ COMPLIANCE PERIOD SPONSORING COORDINATOR/ ORGANIZATION FACILITATOR
2. AUTHORSHIP, EDITING AND REVIEW
2.1 LAW BOOK OF NOT FULL CU FOR THE PUBLISHED BOOK LESS THAN 100 PAGES SUBJECT PER
COMPLIANCE PERIOD
2.2 BOOK EDITOR 1/2 OF THE CU OF PUBLISHED BOOK AUTHORSHIP CATEGORY WITH PROOF AS EDITOR
2.3 RESEARCH PAPER 1/2 OF CU FOR THE DULY INNOVATIVE PROGRAM/ SUBJECT PER CERTIFIED/
CREATIVE PROJECT COMPLIANCE PERIOD PUBLISHED TECHNICAL REPORT/PAPER
2.4 LEGAL ARTICLE OF AT 1/2 OF CU FOR THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE LEAST TEN (10) PAGES SUBJECT PER
COMPLIANCE PERIOD
2.5 LEGAL NEWSLETTER/ 1 CU PER ISSUE PUBLISHED LAW JOURNAL EDITOR NEWSLETTER/JOURNAL
2.6 PROFESSORIAL CHAIR/ FULL CU FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF BAR REVIEW LECTURE SUBJECT PER LAW
DEAN OR LAW TEACHING/ COMPLIANCE PERIOD BAR REVIEW DIRECTOR
Rule 5. CATEGORIES OF CREDIT UNITS
SECTION 1. Classes of Credit units. -- Credit units are either participatory or non-participatory.
SECTION 2. Claim for participatory credit units. -- Participatory credit units may be claimed for:
(a) Attending approved education activities like seminars, conferences, conventions, symposia, in-
house education programs, workshops, dialogues or round table discussion.
(b) Speaking or lecturing, or acting as assigned panelist, reactor, commentator, resource speaker,
moderator, coordinator or facilitator in approved education activities.
(c) Teaching in a law school or lecturing in a bar review class.
SECTION 3. Claim for non-participatory credit units. Non-participatory credit units may be claimed per
compliance period for:
(a) Preparing, as an author or co-author, written materials published or accepted for publication, e.g., in
the form of an article, chapter, book, or book review which contribute to the legal education of the author
member, which were not prepared in the ordinary course of the members practice or employment.
(b) Editing a law book, law journal or legal newsletter.
Rule 6. COMPUTATION OF CREDIT HOURS (CH)
SECTION 1. Computation of credit hours. -- Credit hours are computed based on actual time spent in an
education activity in hours to the nearest one-quarter hour reported in decimals.
Rule 7. EXEMPTIONS
SECTION 1. Parties exempted from the MCLE. -- The following members of the Bar are exempt from the MCLE
requirement:
(a) The President and the Vice President of the Philippines, and the Secretaries and Undersecretaries of
Executive Departments;
(b) Senators and Members of the House of Representatives;
(c) The Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, incumbent and retired members of
the judiciary, incumbent members of the Judicial and Bar Council and incumbent court lawyers covered
by the Philippine Judicial Academy program of continuing judicial education;
(d) The Chief State Counsel, Chief State Prosecutor and Assistant Secretaries of the Department of
Justice;
(e) The Solicitor General and the Assistant Solicitors General;
(f) The Government Corporate Counsel, Deputy and Assistant Government Corporate Counsel;
(g) The Chairmen and Members of the Constitutional Commissions;
(h) The Ombudsman, the Overall Deputy Ombudsman, the Deputy Ombudsman and the Special
Prosecutor of the Office of the Ombudsman;
(i) Heads of government agencies exercising quasi-judicial functions;
(j) Incumbent deans, bar reviewers and professors of law who have teaching experience for at least ten
(10) years in accredited law schools;
(k) The Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and members of the Corps of Professors and Professorial Lecturers
of the Philippine Judicial Academy; and
(l) Governors and Mayors.
SECTION 2. Other parties exempted from the MCLE. The following Members of the Bar are likewise exempt:
(a) Those who are not in law practice, private or public.
(b) Those who have retired from law practice with the approval of the IBP Board of Governors.
SECTION 3. Good cause for exemption from or modification of requirement A member may file a verified
request setting forth good cause for exemption (such as physical disability, illness, post graduate study
abroad, proven expertise in law, etc.) from compliance with or modification of any of the requirements,
including an extension of time for compliance, in accordance with a procedure to be established by the MCLE
Committee.
SECTION 4. Change of status. The compliance period shall begin on the first day of the month in which a
member ceases to be exempt under Sections 1, 2, or 3 of this Rule and shall end on the same day as that of
all other members in the same Compliance Group.
SECTION 5. Proof of exemption. Applications for exemption from or modification of the MCLE requirement
shall be under oath and supported by documents.
Rule 8. STANDARDS FOR APPROVAL OF EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
SECTION 1. Approval of MCLE program. Subject to the implementing regulations that may be adopted by
the MCLE Committee, continuing legal education program may be granted approval in either of two (2) ways:
(1) the provider of the activity is an accredited provider and certifies that the activity meets the criteria of
Section 2 of this Rule; and (2) the provider is specifically mandated by law to provide continuing legal
education.
SECTION 2. Standards for all education activities. All continuing legal education activities must meet the
following standards:
(a) The activity shall have significant current intellectual or practical content.
(b) The activity shall constitute an organized program of learning related to legal subjects and the legal
profession, including cross profession activities (e.g., accounting-tax or medical-legal) that enhance
legal skills or the ability to practice law, as well as subjects in legal writing and oral advocacy.
(c) The activity shall be conducted by a provider with adequate professional experience.
(d) Where the activity is more than one (1) hour in length, substantive written materials must be
distributed to all participants. Such materials must be distributed at or before the time the activity is
offered.
(e) In-house education activities must be scheduled at a time and location so as to be free from
interruption like telephone calls and other distractions.
Rule 9. ACCREDITATION OF PROVIDERS
SECTION 1. Accreditation of providers. -- Accreditation of providers shall be done by the MCLE Committee.
SECTION 2. Requirements for accreditation of providers. Any person or group may be accredited as a
provider for a term of two (2) years, which may be renewed, upon written application. All providers of
continuing legal education activities, including in-house providers, are eligible to be accredited providers.
Application for accreditation shall:
(a) Be submitted on a form provided by the MCLE Committee;
(b) Contain all information requested in the form;
 (c) Be accompanied by the appropriate approval fee.
SECTION 3. Requirements of all providers. -- All approved accredited providers shall agree to the following:
(a) An official record verifying the attendance at the activity shall be maintained by the provider for at
least four (4) years after the completion date. The provider shall include the member on the official
record of attendance only if the members signature was obtained at the time of attendance at the
activity. The official record of attendance shall contain the members name and number in the Roll of
Attorneys and shall identify the time, date, location, subject matter, and length of the education activity.
A copy of such record shall be furnished the MCLE COMMITTEE.
(b) The provider shall certify that:
(1) This activity has been approved BY THE MCLE COMMITTEE in the amount of ________ hours
of which ______ hours will apply in (legal ethics, etc.), as appropriate to the content of the
activity;
(2) The activity conforms to the standards for approved education activities prescribed by
these Rules and such regulations as may be prescribed by the MCLE COMMITTEE.
(c) The provider shall issue a record or certificate to all participants identifying the time, date, location,
subject matter and length of the activity.
(d) The provider shall allow in-person observation of all approved continuing legal education activity
by THE MCLE COMMITTEE, members of the IBP Board of Governors, or designees of the Committee and
IBP staff Board for purposes of monitoring compliance with these Rules.
(e) The provider shall indicate in promotional materials, the nature of the activity, the time devoted to
each topic and identity of the instructors. The provider shall make available to each participant a copy
of THE MCLE COMMITTEE-approved Education Activity Evaluation Form.
(f) The provider shall maintain the completed Education Activity Evaluation Forms for a period of not
less than one (1) year after the activity, copy furnished the MCLE COMMITTEE.
(g) Any person or group who conducts an unauthorized activity under this program or issues a spurious
certificate in violation of these Rules shall be subject to appropriate sanctions.
SECTION 4. Renewal of provider accreditation. The accreditation of a provider may be renewed every two
(2) years. It may be denied if the provider fails to comply with any of the requirements of these Rules or fails
to provide satisfactory education activities for the preceding period.
SECTION 5. Revocation of provider accreditation. -- the accreditation of any provider referred to in Rule 9
may be revoked by a majority vote of the MCLE Committee, after notice and hearing and for good cause.
Rule 10. FEE FOR APPROVAL OF ACTIVITY AND ACCREDITATION OF PROVIDER
SECTION 1. Payment of fees. Application for approval of an education activity or accreditation as a provider
requires payment of the appropriate fee as provided in the Schedule of MCLE Fees.
Rule 11. GENERAL COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES
SECTION 1. Compliance card. -- Each member shall secure from the MCLE Committee a Compliance Card
before the end of his compliance period. He shall complete the card by attesting under oath that he has
complied with the education requirement or that he is exempt, specifying the nature of the exemption. Such
Compliance Card must be returned to the Committee not later than the day after the end of the members
compliance period.
SECTION 2. Member record keeping requirement. -- Each member shall maintain sufficient record of
compliance or exemption, copy furnished the MCLE Committee. The record required to be provided to the
members by the provider pursuant to Section 3 of Rule 9 should be a sufficient record of attendance at a
participatory activity. A record of non-participatory activity shall also be maintained by the member, as
referred to in Section 3 of Rule 5.
Rule 12. NON-COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES
SECTION 1. What constitutes non-compliance. The following shall constitute non-compliance:
(a) Failure to complete the education requirement within the compliance period;
(b) Failure to provide attestation of compliance or exemption;
(c) Failure to provide satisfactory evidence of compliance (including evidence of exempt status) within
the prescribed period;
(d) Failure to satisfy the education requirement and furnish evidence of such compliance within sixty
(60) days from receipt of non-compliance notice;
(e) Failure to pay non-compliance fee within the prescribed period;
(f) Any other act or omission analogous to any of the foregoing or intended to circumvent or evade
compliance with the MCLE requirements.
SECTION 2. Non-compliance notice and 60-day period to attain compliance. -Members failing to comply will
receive a Non-Compliance Notice stating the specific deficiency and will be given sixty (60) days from the
date of notification to file a response clarifying the deficiency or otherwise showing compliance with the
requirements. Such notice shall contain the following language near the beginning of the notice in capital
letters:
IF YOU FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROOF OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE MCLE REQUIREMENT BY
(INSERT DATE 60 DAYS FROM DATE OF NOTICE), YOU SHALL BE LISTED AS A DELINQUENT MEMBER AND
SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PRACTICE LAW UNTIL SUCH TIME AS ADEQUATE PROOF OF COMPLIANCE
IS RECEIVED BY THE MCLE COMMITTEE.
Members given sixty (60) days to respond to a Non-Compliance Notice may use this period to attain the
adequate number of credit units for compliance. Credit units earned during this period may only be
counted toward compliance with the prior compliance period requirement unless units in excess of the
requirement are earned, in which case the excess may be counted toward meeting the current compliance
period requirement.
Rule 13. CONSEQUENCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE
SECTION 1. Non-compliance fee. -- A member who, for whatever reason, is in non-compliance at the end of
the compliance period shall pay a non-compliance fee.
SECTION 2. Listing as delinquent member. -- A member who fails to comply with the requirements after the
sixty (60) day period for compliance has expired, shall be listed as a delinquent member of the IBP upon the
recommendation of the MCLE Committee. The investigation of a member for non-compliance shall be
conducted by the IBPs Commission on Bar Discipline as a fact-finding arm of the MCLE Committee.
SECTION 3. Accrual of membership fee. -- Membership fees shall continue to accrue at the active rate against
a member during the period he/she is listed as a delinquent member.
Rule 14. REINSTATEMENT
SECTION 1. Process. -- The involuntary listing as a delinquent member shall be terminated when the member
provides proof of compliance with the MCLE requirement, including payment of non-compliance fee. A
member may attain the necessary credit units to meet the requirement for the period of non-compliance
during the period the member is on inactive status. These credit units may not be counted toward meeting
the current compliance period requirement. Credit units earned during the period of non-compliance in
excess of the number needed to satisfy the prior compliance period requirement may be counted toward
meeting the current compliance period requirement.
SECTION 2. Termination of delinquent listing is an administrative process. The termination of listing as a
delinquent member is administrative in nature AND it shall be made by the MCLE Committee.
Rule. 15. COMMITTEE ON MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
SECTION 1. Composition. The MCLE Committee shall be composed of five (5) members, namely, a retired
Justice of the Supreme Court as Chair, and four (4) members respectively nominated by the IBP, the
Philippine Judicial Academy, a law center designated by the Supreme Court and associations of law schools
and/or law professors.
The members of the Committee shall be of proven probity and integrity. They shall be appointed by the
Supreme Court for a term of three (3) years and shall receive such compensation as may be determined by
the Court.
SECTION 2. Duty of committee. The MCLE Committee shall administer and adopt such implementing rules as
may be necessary subject to the approval of the Supreme Court. It shall, in consultation with the IBP Board
of Governors, prescribe a schedule of MCLE fees with the approval of the Supreme Court.
SECTION 3. Staff of the MCLE Committee. Subject to approval by the Supreme Court, the MCLE Committee
shall employ such staff as may be necessary to perform the record-keeping, auditing, reporting, approval
and other necessary functions.
SECTION 4. Submission of annual budget. The MCLE Committee shall submit to the Supreme Court for
approval, an annual budget [for a subsidy] to establish, operate and maintain the MCLE Program.
This resolution shall take effect on the fifteenth of September 2000, following its publication in two (2)
newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.
Adopted this 22nd day of August, 2000, as amended on 02 October 2001.
A.M. No. 17-03-09-SC
RULE ON COMMUNITY LEGAL AID SERVICE
SECTION 1. Title. - This Rule shall be known as the "Community Legal Aid Service Rule."
SECTION 2. Rationale. - The legal profession is imbued with public interest. As such, lawyers are
charged with the duty to give meaning to the guarantee of access to adequate legal assistance under
Article III, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution by making their legal services available to the public
in an efficient and convenient manner compatible with the independence, integrity and effectiveness
of the profession. As a way to discharge this constitutional duty, lawyers are obliged to render pro
bono services to those who otherwise would be denied access to adequate legal services.
SECTION 3. Scope. - This Rule shall govern the mandatory requirement for covered lawyers to render
pro bono legal aid services to qualified litigants, as defined herein.
SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Rule, the following terms shall be understood to be
how they are defined under this Section:
(a) "Covered lawyers" shall refer to those who have successfully passed the Annual Bar Examinations
and have signed the Roll of Attorneys for that particular year; for purposes of this Rule, it shall
include those who will pass the 2017 Bar Examination and are admitted to the Bar in 2018.
(b) "Pro Bono Legal Aid Service" shall refer to supervised post admission legal services in civil,
criminal and administrative cases consisting of:
1. Legal services provided without charge for the following qualified parties or litigants:
i. Indigent Party or Pauper Litigants, as defined;
ii. Other persons of limited means, as defined;
iii. Individuals, groups, or organizations rendered unable to secure free legal
assistance by reason of conflict of interest on the part of government-provided legal assistance
through the Public Attorney's Office; and
iv. Public interest cases that have societal impact and involves a group or sector of society that
otherwise would not be capable of securing legal assistance by reason of inability of other
lawyers, law firms, or government offices, including the Public Attorney's Office.
2. The following shall be considered legal services for purposes of this Rule:
i. Representation of qualified litigants, as defined, in the trial courts in civil and criminal cases
and quasi-judicial bodies in administrative cases, including proceedings for mediation,
voluntary or compulsory arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution;
ii. Legal counseling, rendering assistance m contract negotiations and drafting of related legal
documents, including memoranda of law and other similar documents that are provided to the
client. Drafting may include policy work involving legal research and advocacy;
iii. Developmental Legal Assistance, consisting of rights awareness, capacity-building, and
training in basic human rights, documentation, and affidavit-making, rendered in public interest
cases, including legal assistance rendered by identified Public Interest Law Groups;
iv. Legal services provided as part of employment in the judiciary, executive, or legislative
branches of government shall be considered sufficient compliance with this Rule, provided that
the covered lawyer must already be in government service at least six months before admission
into the Bar; provided further, that the legal services provided are substantive, as certified by
the Heads of Office; and
v. Legal services provided to marginalized sectors and identities, such as but not limited to: (a)
urban poor; (b) workers/laborers; ( c) overseas foreign workers; ( d) children in conflict with
the law; and ( e) persons involved in gender issues.
(C) "Indigent Party" shall refer to a party in a case covered by Rule 3, Section 21 of the Rules of Court. The
test for indigency shall not be based on a set financial amount but rather on the capacity to afford the services
of counsel after considering his or her basic necessities for
himself or herself and his or her family.
d) "Indigent Litigants" shall refer to a party in a case covered under Rule 141, Section 19 of the Rules of
Court.
(e) "Other Persons of Limited Means" shall refer to those who may not be covered by Sections ( c) and (
d) but would, under the circumstances, not be financially able to afford the services of counsel. This includes
marginalized groups and entities such as farmers, indigenous peoples, children in conflict with the law,
victims of gender violence, and other similar causes.
(f) "Law School Legal Aid Office" is an office or center under a law school's clinical legal education program
duly organized and accredited under Rule 138-A (The Law Student Practice Rule) to render legal assistance
and services to indigent and pauper clients.
(g) "Public Interest Law Group" is any group, association, institution, office, or center duly organized and
with a specific and clear mandate to assist specific marginalized sectors of society in their legal needs. For
purposes of this Rule, such a group must have been organized and
in active service of its mandate for at least five ( 5) years prior to the effectivity of this Rule.
(h) "Accredited Legal Aid Service Providers" are legal aid offices duly accredited with the Office of the Bar
Confidant (OBC) where covered lawyers may render pro bona legal aid service. These offices shall include:
i. Law organizations regularly rendering legal aid services, such as the
Philippine Bar Association, and other similar organizations;
 ii. Developmental Legal Assistance Groups and Alternative Law Groups
rendering developmental legal assistance as defined herein and
alternative law groups;
iii. Public Interest Law Groups, as defined herein;
iv. Law School Legal Aid Offices, as defined herein; and
v. Law firms which handle cases for persons of limited means, as defined
herein, or marginalized groups and entities. This shall include law firms
with established legal aid departments or which regularly render pro
bona legal aid service or act as counsel de oficio.
(i) "Integrated Bar of the Philippines" (IBP) is the official national organization of lawyers in the country.
(j) "National Committee on Legal Aid" (NCLA) is the national committee of the IBP which is specifically
tasked with handling legal aid cases.
(k) "IBP Chapters" are those located in the different geographical areas of the country as defined in Rule
139-A of the Rules of Court.
(1) "IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee" is the committee of the IBP Chapter which will supervise the
covered lawyers in the rendition of free legal services.
(m) "Law Firm" refers to a private law firm or office with a pro bona program intended to provide free legal
aid services and assistance to indigent and pauper clients.
(n) "Office of the Bar Confidant" (OBC) is the office of the Supreme Court that has custody of the Bar
records and personal records of lawyers. It assists the Supreme Court in disciplining the Bar by investigating
complaints against lawyers and Bar candidates. For purposes of this Rule, it shall be the Office that accredits
legal aid providers, as defined herein, and certifies compliance or noncompliance by covered lawyers.
SECTION 5. Requirements. -
(a) Number of Hours - Covered lawyers, as defined under Section 4(a), are required to render one
hundred twenty (120) hours of pro bona legal aid services to qualified parties enumerated in Section
4(b ), within the first year of the covered lawyers' admission to the Bar, counted from the time they
signed the Roll of Attorneys. For this purpose, covered lawyers shall report to the chairperson of the
IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee of their choice or the chairperson, director, or supervising partner
or lawyer from the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider of their choice for their compliance with
this Rule.
(b) Free Legal Aid Services on Weekends - Upon written request duly approved by the chairperson of
the IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee or the chairperson, director, or supervising partner or lawyer
from the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider, covered lawyers may comply with the requirements
of this Rule on weekends. Said lawyers are entitled to an extension of the compliance period, upon
submission of the weekend schedules by the IBP committee chairperson or the appropriate officer
of the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider.
(c) Exemptions - The following shall be exempted from the requirements of this Rule upon sufficient
proof of their respective circumstances submitted with the OBC:
i. Covered lawyers in the executive and legislative branches of
government, provided that the covered lawyer must already be in
government service at least six ( 6) months before admission into the
Bar; however, those employed upon admission into the Bar with the
judiciary, the Public Attorney's Office, the National Prosecution
Service, the Office of the Solicitor General, the Office of the
Government Corporate Counsel, and the Office of the Ombudsman
shall be automatically exempt from compliance with this Rule;
ii. Those who have already undergone and completed the clinical legal
education program duly organized and accredited under Rule 138-A
(The Law Student Practice Rule);
iii. Covered lawyers who have worked for at least one (1) year in law firms
offering pro bona legal services or regularly accepting counsel de oficio
appointments;
iv. Covered lawyers who have previously worked for more than one (1)
year as staff of a Law School Legal Aid Office, as defined, a Public
Interest Law Group, or an alternative or developmental law group; and
v. Covered lawyers who have worked with lawyers for Public Interest
Law Groups or alternative or developmental law groups for more than
one (1) year and have filed public interest cases.
Within thirty (30) days from the date of signing the Roll of Attorneys, any aforelisted lawyer shall
submit his/her sworn statement and that of the chairperson, director or supervising partner or
lawyer of the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider showing his/her entitlement to the exemption
from the rule. Otherwise, the new lawyer shall not be considered exempt from the Rule.
(d) Supervision of Covered Lawyers - Representation in civil and criminal cases before courts and in
administrative cases before quasi-judicial agencies and the rendition of other pro bona legal aid
services shall be under the direct supervision and control of the chairperson of the IBP Chapter Legal
Aid Committee, or the chairperson, director, or supervising partner or lawyer from the Accredited
Legal Aid Service Provider where the covered lawyers are registered or affiliated.
(e) Signing of Pleadings - Any and all pleadings, motions, briefs, memoranda, or other papers to be
filed in court or any quasi-judicial agency must be signed by the covered lawyers and co-signed by
the chairperson of the IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee, or the chairperson, director, or supervising
partner or lawyer from the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider.
The pleadings may be signed solely by the covered lawyers only in the event the chairperson of the
IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee or the chairperson, director, or supervising partner or lawyer from
the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider is unavailable but such signature page shall indicate who
the supervising lawyers are.
(f) Time Log and Timesheets - The IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee or the Accredited Legal Aid
Service Provider shall keep a record of the time/hours spent by new lawyers in rendering free legal
aid services to qualified parties or litigants. For this purpose, the said committee or legal aid service
provider shall designate a person responsible to keep timesheets containing the number of hour(s)
spent every week by each new lawyer in rendering free legal aid services for each assigned case
and/or client. Time spent in the office or at the place designated by the IBP Chapter Legal Aid
Committee or Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider, regardless of whether there are clients
attended to or not, shall also be recorded and included in the computation of the hours required by
this Rule. The actual hours spent by the new lawyers in court or before any quasi-judicial agency with
the client shall likewise be recorded and counted.
The timesheets shall be authenticated by the chairperson of the IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee or
the chairperson, director, or supervising partner or lawyer in charge of the Accredited Legal Aid
Service Provider.
(g) Certificate of Compliance - Covered lawyers shall, upon completion of the required one hundred twenty
(120) hours of free legal aid services, submit a notarized Certificate of Compliance to the OBC issued and
signed by the chairperson of the IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee or the chairperson, director, or
supervising partner or lawyer from the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider where they are registered.
SECTION 6. Period for Compliance. - Covered lawyers shall complete the community legal aid service
within twelve (12) months from the date they sign the Roll of Attorneys. Within one (1) month after
the lapse of the said period, covered lawyers shall submit the Certificate of Compliance issued by the
Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider to the OBC.
The twelve (12) month period may be extended upon a petition duly submitted and granted by the
Bar Confidant, who will furnish the Office of the Chief Justice with a copy of the order resolving the
petition. The petition for extension must be filed before the lapse of the period for compliance. In the
event a new lawyer has completed the required number of hours before the end of the one (1) year
period, he/she can already submit the Certificate of Compliance to the OBC.
In order to address possible economic hardships that may be caused by strict compliance with this
Rule, or for any justifiable reason, qualified lawyers may request compliance with this Rule for two
(2) years. Covered lawyers who wish to avail of this privilege must file an application with the OBC,
which shall determine the validity of the deferment on a case-to-case basis.
SECTION 7. Continuous Handling or Turnover of Cases. - Representation, once entered, by covered
lawyers in cases before the courts or quasi-judicial agencies, shall continue until terminated~
provided, that after the twelve-month period, the requirement of supervision shall no longer be
mandatory.
Should the covered lawyer, upon compliance with the Rule and lapse of the twelve-month period, be
unable to continue representation of the party by reason of professional conflict of interest arising
from his or her employment, he/she may tum over the handling of the cases to the IBP Chapter Legal
Aid Committee or the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider indicating clearly the reason for the
turnover. The turned-over cases may then be re-assigned to another covered lawyer.
SECTION 8. Prohibition against Solicitation or Acceptance of Gifts.- Covered lawyers shall not solicit,
request, or accept, directly or indirectly, any fee, gift, token of gratitude, or anything of monetary
value in the course of rendering the legal aid services under this Rule. Any and all legal services
provided under this Rule shall be on a pro bona basis.
SECTION 9. Protection of private practice or employment. - This rule is not intended to impair the
private practice or employment of covered lawyers. Barring any conflict of interest or any other
violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility, covered lawyers can engage in private practice
and accept paid clients or be employed in the government or in the private sector within the twelve-
month period for compliance.
SECTION 10. Full Credit/or Mandatory Continuing Legal Education(MCLE). -A covered lawyer who
successfully complies with the requirements of this Rule shall be given a full credit of thirty-six (36)
MCLE units for the three year-period covered by a compliance period under the Rules on MCLE.
The grant of full credit shall be without prejudice to any other legislated benefits that the covered
lawyer may be entitled to, such as tax exemptions and other similar benefits.
SECTION 11. Duties of the OBC. - The OBC shall perform the following duties and responsibilities:
(a) Verify the contents of the notarized Certificate of Compliance submitted by new lawyers with the issuing
IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee or the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider;
(b) Keep a record of all the Certificates of Compliance and submit it to the Court en bane at the end of each
quarter;
(c) Accredit Clinical Legal Aid Offices of Law Schools, Public Interest Groups, Developmental Legal Aid
Groups, Alternative Legal Aid Groups, or Law Firms which intend to participate in this legal aid program.
The IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committees, the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), and previously accredited
Clinical Legal Aid Offices shall be automatically accredited by the OBC;
(d)Monitor the compliance of covered lawyers and the Accredited Legal Aid Service Providers with the
requirements of this Rule;
(e) File administrative charges against non-compliant covered lawyers and any group/person who may be
involved in any violation of this Rule; and
(f)Provide the standard forms for the timelog, timesheets, and notarized Certificate of Compliance.
SECTION 12. Duties of IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee or the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider. -
The IBP Chapter Legal Aid Committee or the Accredited Legal Aid Service Provider shall submit to the OBC
an Annual Report containing a summary of the certificates issued to covered lawyers, on or before June 30
of every year. The Report shall contain a list of the covered lawyers, the number of hours spent rendering
free legal aid services, the legal aid cases involved, and the qualified parties or litigants for whom the services
were rendered.
SECTION 13. Expenses. - Expenses incurred by the IBP Chapter in connection with the services rendered by
the new lawyers may be sourced from the IBP subsidy provided by the Court. Expenses by the Accredited
Legal Aid Service Provider shall be shouldered by the respective law organization, public interest group,
developmental law group, alternative law group, law school, or law firm. The Accredited Legal Aid Service
Provider may, however, request the court for financial assistance.
SECTION 14. Penalties. –
(a) A covered lawyer who fails to comply with the requirements of this Rule shall be required to show
cause in writing within ten (10) days from receipt of notice why no disciplinary action should be
taken against him/her. Should the OBC find the new lawyer's explanation insufficient to justify the
non-compliance, it shall recommend to the Supreme Court that the lawyer be delisted as a "member
in good standing" of the Bar. It may also recommend any appropriate disciplinary measures
depending on the reasons for and the gravity of the non-compliance.
(b) Without prejudice to criminal liability, a covered lawyer who falsifies the Certificate of
Compliance required to be submitted under this Rule shall be administratively charged by the OBC
with disciplinary action up to and including disbarment before the Supreme Court.
SECTION 15. Effectivity. - This Rule shall take effect after publication in two (2) newspapers of general
circulation. It shall also be uploaded to the Supreme Court website through its Public Information Office.