E-signature legality · Asia-Pacific
Is electronic signature legal in the Philippines?
Yes. RA 8792 gives electronic documents and signatures the same legal effect as paper ones, provided the method identifies the signer and shows their approval.
The law
- Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 (Republic Act 8792)
- Rules on Electronic Evidence (A.M. No. 01-7-01-SC)
What still needs wet ink, a notary or a qualified signature
- Documents that must be notarised to be enforceable or registrable, such as real property transfers
- Wills
Where Clinch fits
Clinch is built for everyday commercial agreements — freelance and agency contracts, statements of work, NDAs, quotes and service agreements — which in the Philippinesneed no special form. Every signature is captured with the signer's explicit consent, and the signed PDF carries an audit trail (name, email, timestamp of every event, hashed IP) plus a SHA-256 fingerprint of the exact document, so anyone can check it was not changed after signing.
It is a simple electronic signature, not a qualified one: for the documents listed above, use the formality the law requires.
Draft and send a contractOther countries in Asia-Pacific
This page is general information, not legal advice, and laws change. For a document with high stakes or a formality requirement, check with a lawyer in the Philippines.
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