How to Generate an Affidavit of Loss in the Philippines — Step-by-Step Tutorial

An Affidavit of Loss is one of the most frequently requested documents in Philippine legal practice. Banks, government agencies, and courts require it before processing any replacement — whether it is a passbook, land title, government ID, or vehicle OR/CR. Writing one correctly means getting the jurat language, recitals, and optional clauses exactly right.

Legalia automates the drafting. This tutorial walks you through the full process of generating a notary-ready Affidavit of Loss online — from logging in to saving a print-ready PDF — in five steps.

Step 1: Log In and Open Your Dashboard

Sign in to your Legalia account at https://legalia.ph. After logging in you will land on the document library dashboard, which lists all available document types grouped by category — Affidavits, Contracts, Deeds, and more.

Step 2: Select Affidavit of Loss

Under the Affidavits category, click Affidavit of Loss (Form 6). The document editor opens in a two-panel layout:

• Left panel — the guided form with all required and optional fields
• Right panel — the live document preview, updated in real time

Every change you make in the form is immediately reflected in the preview — you always see exactly what will print.

Step 3: Fill In the Form

Complete the fields on the left panel. The form is divided into three sections:

Affiant Information

Field	Notes
Full Name	Exactly as it appears on a government-issued ID
Age	Current age in years
Civil Status	Single / Married / Widowed / Legally Separated
Address	Complete residential address including barangay, city/municipality, and province

Loss Details

Field	Notes
Item Lost	Be specific — include account numbers, ID numbers, title numbers, or plate numbers where applicable
Date of Loss	An approximate date is acceptable (e.g., "on or about April 2026")
Place of Loss	Last known location of the item
Circumstances	How the loss occurred — misplaced, stolen, destroyed in a fire or flood
Recovery Efforts	Optional. Leave blank and Legalia omits the "diligent efforts" clause entirely
Purpose	Why the affidavit is needed — e.g., "to support a request for the issuance of a replacement"

Identification (Optional)

If you complete the Identification section, all four fields must be filled in: ID type, ID number, issuing authority, and expiry date. If you leave it blank, Legalia automatically inserts the standard competent evidence of identity clause — the accepted fallback in most Philippine notarial practice.

Step 4: Review the Live Preview

The right panel shows the document exactly as it will print. Review the full text carefully — especially the item description, dates, circumstances, and the jurat block at the bottom.

Two optional tools appear at the top of the preview panel:

• Short / Long toggle — switches between a concise recital and an expanded narrative version of the loss circumstances. Use "Long" when the institution requests a more detailed sworn statement.
• Polish with AI — rewrites the circumstances and recovery paragraphs in formal legal Philippine English while preserving all facts. Useful when the affiant described events in informal language.

Step 5: Print or Save as PDF

When the document looks correct, click the Print button in the action bar. Your browser's print dialog opens.

• To print on paper: select your printer and click Print.
• To save a PDF: change the Destination to Save as PDF. The output is a clean, single-page document with no UI chrome, headers, or footers — formatted for standard 8.5×11 or A4 paper with correct margins and line spacing for notarial use.

Bring the printout to your commissioned notary public for the affiant's oath and signature.

That is the complete workflow — from opening the dashboard to a notary-ready document in under 3 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Legalia replace the notary?

No. Legalia handles the drafting. The affiant still needs to sign the document before a commissioned notary public. Notarization is done the usual way — Legalia simply removes the writing step.

Is the format legally acceptable in the Philippines?

Yes. The structure follows standard Philippine notarial requirements — correct jurat language, proper recitals, and all legally required clauses. Always review the final document before bringing it to your notary.

Can I use Legalia for any type of lost item?

Yes — government IDs (SSS, PhilHealth, UMID, TIN), ATM cards, passbooks, land titles (TCT/CCT), vehicle OR/CR, PRC licenses, company IDs, and more. Just describe the item accurately in the form.

What happens if I leave the Recovery Efforts field blank?

Legalia automatically omits the "diligent efforts" clause from the document. Only fill it in if the affiant actually made efforts to search for the item.

Do I need to fill in the Identification section?

It is optional. If left blank, Legalia inserts a "competent evidence of identity" fallback clause — acceptable in most Philippine notarial situations. If filled, all four fields (ID type, ID number, issuing authority, expiry date) must be completed.

Is Legalia free to use?

Yes. You can generate, preview, and print an Affidavit of Loss on the Free plan with no credit card required. Premium plans unlock additional document types and AI-assisted drafting.

How long does it take to generate an Affidavit of Loss using Legalia?

Under 3 minutes for most documents. Fill in the required fields, review the live preview, and click Print. The form guides you through every clause — no legal writing experience needed.

Can I edit the document after generating it?

Yes. Every field on the left panel is editable at any time. Changes are reflected in the preview instantly. You can also use the "Polish with AI" feature to refine the language before printing.

Video Tutorial

Prefer to watch? This short walkthrough covers the full process from login to PDF export.