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Philippine Legal Document Guides

Plain-language guides on drafting affidavits, SPAs, deeds, leases, demand letters, and other Philippine legal documents — written for Filipino lawyers and notary publics.

Announcements

Joint Affidavit of Cohabitation Is Now Free

Filipino couples can now generate a Joint Affidavit of Cohabitation for free — for Article 34, Pag-IBIG, SSS, and other legal purposes.

May 29, 2026

Sworn Statement & Acknowledgment Receipt Are Now Free

Two of the most-requested documents on Legalia are now included in the Free plan — no credit card required.

May 24, 2026

Legalia Free Is Now Live

Generate Philippine legal documents for free — no credit card required. Full document library, on-screen preview, and PDF print.

May 8, 2026

Tutorials

How to Generate an Affidavit of Loss (Tutorial)

Step-by-step walkthrough: fill the form, review the live preview, and export a notary-ready PDF in under 3 minutes.

May 10, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Support (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Support using Legalia — for immigration, school enrollment, and financial sponsorship.

May 14, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Guardianship (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Guardianship using Legalia — for travel consent, school enrollment, and minor welfare.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Birth (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Birth using Legalia — for delayed registration, lost PSA records, and discrepancies.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Death (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Death using Legalia — for insurance claims, estate settlement, and bank account release.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Mailing (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Mailing using Legalia — for proof of service by mail in litigation and administrative proceedings.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Publication (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Publication using Legalia — for land registration, estate proceedings, and court-ordered publications.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Good Faith (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Good Faith using Legalia — for property sales, mortgage transactions, and contract proceedings.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Adjoining Owners (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Adjoining Owners using Legalia — for land registration and boundary confirmation under PD 1529.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Desistance (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Desistance using Legalia — for complaint withdrawal in barangay, police, and prosecutor proceedings.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Proof of Service (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Proof of Service using Legalia — for court filings and land registration notice requirements.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Affidavit of Merit (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Affidavit of Merit using Legalia — for motions for new trial, motions to lift default, and annulment petitions.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate a Sworn Statement (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Sworn Statement using Legalia — for administrative proceedings, insurance claims, employer investigations, and government transactions.

May 25, 2026

How to Generate an Acknowledgment Receipt (Tutorial)

Step-by-step guide to generating a Philippine Acknowledgment Receipt using Legalia — for payment acknowledgment, item return, document transmittal, and loan repayment records.

May 25, 2026

Affidavit Guides

Affidavit Templates Philippines

Complete guide to Philippine affidavit formats — required fields, jurat blocks, and templates for every common type.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Loss

Required elements, sample clauses, and a free template for reporting a lost document or item.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Support

Financial sponsorship affidavit for immigration, school enrollment, or government assistance.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Guardianship

Guardian undertaking for a minor — travel, enrollment, or welfare. BI requirements explained.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Birth

Used to establish birth facts when the PSA birth certificate is unavailable or incorrect.

May 5, 2026

Joint Affidavit of Cohabitation

Sworn declaration by both partners attesting to cohabitation — for Art. 34 marriage license exemption and government benefits.

May 29, 2026

Affidavit of Death

Sworn declaration attesting to a person's death — for insurance, estate, and government transactions.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Mailing

Proof that a document or notice was sent by mail — common in litigation and administrative proceedings.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Publication

Published by a newspaper to certify that a notice, ordinance, or legal notice was published as required.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Good Faith

Sworn statement that a party acted in good faith — required in various property and court proceedings.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Adjoining Owners

Executed by registered neighbors confirming boundaries — used in land registration and subdivision.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Desistance

Complainant withdraws a complaint — proper form, legal effect, and when it is accepted in Philippine courts.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Proof of Service of Publication

Attests that legal notices were served and published — required in land registration proceedings.

May 5, 2026

Affidavit of Merit

Sworn statement that a party's case has substantial legal merit — required before certain court motions.

May 5, 2026

Counter-Affidavit

Sworn response to a complaint-affidavit in preliminary investigation — required elements, deadlines, and annexes explained.

May 14, 2026

Affidavit of Ownership of Real Property

Free sample, required facts, and a step-by-step guide for declaring ownership of land or titled real property.

May 30, 2026

Affidavit of Ownership of Motor Vehicle

Free sample plus LTO-ready guide for declaring ownership of a vehicle for transfer, registration, or OR/CR replacement.

May 30, 2026

Affidavit of Discrepancy

Explain conflicting entries (name spelling, date of birth) across PSA, school, SSS, or bank records — or affirm two names refer to one and the same person.

May 30, 2026

Affidavit of Self-Adjudication

Free sample and guide for a sole heir adjudicating an intestate estate under Section 1, Rule 74 — with the publication and two-year-liability rules explained.

June 1, 2026

Affidavit of Non-Ownership

Free sample and guide for swearing that you do not own a property registered to someone else — for erroneous tax declarations, loan, and estate matters.

June 1, 2026

Other Legal Documents

Special Power of Attorney (SPA)

Specific and general SPAs — Art. 1878 powers, acknowledgment block, consularized SPAs.

May 5, 2026

Deed of Absolute Sale

Real and personal property sales — required recitals, BIR documentary stamp, and registration steps.

May 5, 2026

Contract to Sell

Installment real-estate sales with title reserved until full payment — how it differs from a Deed of Absolute Sale and the Maceda Law (RA 6552).

June 1, 2026

Deed of Absolute Sale of Motor Vehicle

LTO-compliant motor vehicle sale — engine/chassis number fields, DST obligations, and transfer requirements.

May 27, 2026

Contract of Lease

Residential and commercial leases — essential clauses, security deposit rules, and tenant rights.

May 5, 2026

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

Mutual and one-way NDAs under Philippine jurisdiction — key clauses and enforceability.

May 5, 2026

Acknowledgment Receipt

Payment and document acknowledgment receipts — when to use them and what they must contain.

May 5, 2026

Sworn Statement

Witness and party declarations under oath — difference from an affidavit and proper format.

May 5, 2026

Demand Letter — Collection

Written demand for payment of a debt — required before filing a collection case in the Philippines.

May 5, 2026

Demand Letter — Lessor / Ejectment

Demand to vacate or pay rent — a prerequisite for unlawful detainer (ejectment) proceedings.

May 5, 2026

Demand Letter — Contract Breach

Formal demand for specific performance or damages when a contract has been breached.

May 5, 2026

Extra-Judicial Settlement of Estate

Settlement of a deceased person's estate without court proceedings — heirs, publication, and BIR requirements.

May 5, 2026

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)

Binding agreement between two or more parties — required clauses, notarization rules, and Philippine enforcement.

May 14, 2026

Promissory Note

Written promise to pay a fixed sum — interest rate rules, maturity date, and penalty clause guide for the Philippines.

May 14, 2026

General Power of Attorney (GPA)

Broad authority for an attorney-in-fact to act on the principal's behalf — when to use GPA vs SPA in the Philippines.

May 14, 2026

Deed of Donation

Gratuitous transfer of real or personal property — donor's tax rules, acceptance requirements, and registration steps.

May 14, 2026

Waiver and Quitclaim

Voluntary relinquishment of a right or claim — enforceability limits, labor settlement rules, and Philippine court standards.

May 14, 2026

Compromise Agreement

Settlement of disputes through reciprocal concessions — NLRC approval requirements and what cannot be waived.

May 14, 2026

Position Paper

Formal written argument for NLRC, DOLE, BIR, and court proceedings — required elements, verification, and forum shopping cert.

May 14, 2026

Acknowledgment of Debt (AOD)

Notarial instrument where a debtor formally acknowledges a money obligation — interest clauses, co-maker rules, and default provisions explained.

May 25, 2026

Employment Contract

Probationary and regular employment contracts — Labor Code termination clauses, statutory deductions, and DOLE-compliant provisions.

May 30, 2026

Independent Contractor Agreement

Engage a service provider without creating an employer-employee tie — the four-fold control test, BIR withholding and self-coverage for SSS/PhilHealth/Pag-IBIG, IP assignment, and confidentiality.

June 5, 2026

Deed of Assignment

Assign rights, credits, and receivables under the Civil Code — "without recourse" rules, notice to the debtor, and an optional irrevocable power of attorney to collect.

June 3, 2026

Real Estate Mortgage

Secure a loan with titled land — extrajudicial foreclosure under Act 3135, the secured-obligation and attorney's-fees clauses, and registration on the title.

June 3, 2026

Chattel Mortgage

Secure a loan with a vehicle or movable property — the Chattel Mortgage Law (Act 1508) and the statutory Affidavit of Good Faith explained.

June 3, 2026

Release and Cancellation of Mortgage

Discharge a fully paid real estate or chattel mortgage and cancel the annotation — who signs, what it must reference, and how to clear the title.

June 3, 2026

Last Will and Testament

The notarial will under the Civil Code (Arts. 804–806) — the attestation clause, three instrumental witnesses, the page-count rule, and acknowledgment before a notary.

June 3, 2026

Codicil

Amend, add to, or revoke part of an existing will — executed with the same formalities as a will (Arts. 825–826), with republication and three-witness acknowledgment.

June 3, 2026

Secretary's Certificate

A corporate secretary's sworn certification of board resolutions and authorized signatories — the jurat form, required elements, and when banks and registries require it.

June 3, 2026

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