With its capacity to digitally automate legal documents, the Supreme Court (SC) has tapped Twala, a startup funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), to digitize notarization in the Philippines.
The High Tribunal held discussions last year with Twala to provide inputs in its ongoing work to draft rules to allow electronic notarization in the country. The rules for e-notarization are expected to be released within the year, according to Twala CEO Jeffrey Reyes.
Currently, only “remote notarization” is allowed in the country and not a pure online or electronic notarization. Under the 2020 Interim Rules on Remote Notarization of Paper Documents issued by the SC, personal appearance can be done through videoconferencing to confirm his or her identity and signature after the notary public has received the document needing notarization.
The collaboration with Twala promises a more efficient and a more secure method of implementing the SC’s envisioned electronic notarization that will benefit both private and public sectors.
The SC’s consultation with Twala also involved discussion on the understanding of global technology standards, best practices, emerging trends like blockchain, cryptography, digital signatures, and artificial intelligence.
Twala, a document management startup company, uses blockchain technology in digitizing records and is the first of its kind in the Philippine market.
With P4.5-million fund from DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) in 2022, Twala has made significant improvements in their blockchain technology to enhance the security of its digital ID mobile app for both iOS and Android, making it more reliable.
“Investing in digital technology is investing for the future. Twala streamlines the efficiency and security of managing our documents online,” said DOST-PCIEERD executive director Enrico Paringit.
“With Twala, we now have the capability of reducing our carbon footprint while improving the country’s ease of doing business,” he added.
The startup has also developed a new blockchain network which improves digital identity and document security.
Twala also established partnership with the Senate to help them transition from paper-based to online document processes. Reyes and Senate secretary Renato Bantug Jr. e-signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last September for this purpose.
Twala has also collaborated with various agencies such as DOST – Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI), DOST – Philippine Science High School (DOST-PSHS), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) under the DTI, National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), and the Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP).
Twala is said to be expanding its AI capabilities to complement their existing blockchain technology expertise.
“We will intensify outreach efforts, particularly targeting companies within regulated industries such as banking, finance, education, healthcare, insurance, real estate, and government,” said Reyes.
