PROPOSED LOCAL LEGISLATION

Author: Hon. Ghiell G. Rosales
Date Filed: April 21, 2026

This proposed ordinance prohibits the unauthorized offering of notarial services in public spaces and the misrepresentation of individuals as notaries public. Inspired by the “Task Force Honesto Notario” initiative, the measure targets “street notarial services” where unqualified individuals solicit clients in public areas, often leading to forged or improperly executed documents. It establishes strict enforcement protocols, including the administrative abatement of illegal structures and the confiscation of paraphernalia used in these unauthorized practices, to preserve the integrity of legal documents and public trust in the notarial process.

Highlights of the Proposed Ordinance:

• Ban on Street Solicitation: Explicitly prohibits offering or soliciting notarial services on streets, sidewalks, and other public places.

• Misrepresentation Penalties: Bans any person from presenting themselves as a Notary Public—through signage, business cards, or verbal claims—without a valid commission from the Regional Trial Court.

• Administrative Abatement: Empowers the city to summarily remove and demolish tables, chairs, umbrellas, and signage used for unauthorized notarial services in public areas.

• Impoundment of Paraphernalia: Authorizes law enforcement to seize typewriters, computers, and other equipment used in the commission of the prohibited acts.

• Liability for Business Owners: Holds proprietors and business establishments accountable if they permit unauthorized notarial activities to occur in their frontage or sidewalk areas.

• Graduated Fines:

  • 1st Offense: ₱1,000.00 fine.

  • 2nd Offense: ₱2,000.00 fine plus confiscation of paraphernalia.

  • 3rd Offense: ₱3,000.00 fine and/or 30 days imprisonment. For businesses, the 3rd offense leads to the non-renewal of their business permit.

• Support for Judicial Integrity: Directly supports the Supreme Court’s mandate to maintain professionalism in the legal practice and protect the public from falsified documents.