Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

RECEIVED

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No. 10718

Introduced by Rep. ANGELO MARCOS BARBA
2% District, Ilocos Norte

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Apostille Convention, to which the Philippines is a contracting
party, is an international treaty that allows the passage of the Apostille Service,
where such process facilitates the authentication of public administrative
documents. Through the issuance of an Apostille certificate, the “authenticity
of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has
acted, and where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which the
document bears”! of public documents are deemed verified. Therefore, these
essential papers are accounted as legally recognized abroad.

This standardization process offered by the Apostille Service
simplifies the bureaucratic process, as it eliminates the need for further
authentication by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate General in the foreign
country where the document/s is/are to be used. The Apostille Service is
thereby mandated to authenticate “court documents, administrative
documents (e.g. birth, marriage, and death certificates, medical and health
certificates, police records, grants of patents, etc.), notarial acts, and “official
certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private
capacity.”

The establishment of an Apostille Service Center in the Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA) Tuguegarao Consular Office is a significant step
towards improving public service delivery not only in the Cagayan Valley
Region, but also in its neighboring regions and provinces.

Presently, Tuguegarao City, as a regional center, hosts universities
that cater to foreign students. Considering that these students will return to
their country of origin after graduation, there is a need to authenticate their
degree documents in accordance with the Apostille Convention.

+ Hague Conference on Private international Law, Outline of the Apostille Convention, as cited by Pangalangan,
(n.d.) Apostille Convention in a Nutshell. UP Law. Retrieved 30 July 2024 from

httos://law.upd. aA/A/A tion,

2 dat.

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Ina similar way, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the region and
nearby provinces also require authenticated documents before departure.
With the establishment of the Apostille Service, the processing of ,their
documents will certainly be simplified. Further, this will be cost-effective in
the long run as they will no longer be required to travel to Metro Manila to
avail of this essential service.

In light of the following considerations, the immediate passage of this
bill is earnestly sought.

ANGE] COS BARBA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No.L0718

Introduced by Rep. ANGELO MARCOS BARBA
2m District, Hocos Norte

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AN APOSTILLE SERVICE AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA)-TUGUEGARAO
CONSULAR OFFICE IN CARIG SUR, TUGUEGARAO CITY,
CAGAYAN

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the
“Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-Tuguegarao City Apostille
Service Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of State Policy. - It is a declared policy of
the State to renounce war as an instrument of national policy, to adopt the
generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land
and to adhere to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation,
and amity with all nations.

Concomitant with its international obligations, the Philippines became a
state-party to the Apostille Convention on Authentication of Documents on
May 14, 2019.

SECTION 3. Establishment of the Apostille Service in
DFA-Tuguegarao City Consular Office. — There shall be an established
Apostille Service in the DFA-Tuguegarao City Consular Office to be located in
Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

SECTION 4. Appropriations. — The initial funding requirements for
the establishment and operationalization of the DFA Apostille Service Office
in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, shall be charged against the current
appropriations of the DFA. Thereafter, any additional funds required for the


continuous implementation of this Act will be included in the yearly General
Appropriations Act.

SECTION 5. Separability Clause. ~ If, for any reason, any provision
of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof
which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or
issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or
regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby
repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the
Philippines.

Approved,