Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday formally launched the Fully Digital Apostille System for Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) eCertificates and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) electronic Certification, Authentication and Verification documents, eliminating paper apostilles for both document types effective immediately.</p><p>DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said the system issues apostilles as fully digital certificates and not merely digitized copies, with advanced cryptographic safeguards and QR-based verification. </p><p>Once the DFA receives a PSA or CHED document electronically, the e-Apostille can be issued the next working day, with the entire ordering process taking less than ten minutes.</p><p>The Philippines first launched e-Apostille services in March 2024 and has since issued 42,300 eApostille certificates. The country is the first in ASEAN to have acceded to the Apostille Convention in 2018, and now the first in the region and third in the Asia-Pacific to implement the electronic apostille.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/2/25/gcash-users-can-now-request-birth-marriage-certificates-through-the-app-1258">GCash users can now request birth, marriage certificates through the app</a></div><p>Lazaro said nearly 47 percent of all authentication requests received by the DFA involve PSA civil registry documents and CHED academic records, meaning the digitization directly affects a large share of the over 10 million Filipinos engaged in cross-border transactions for work, education, and family matters.</p><p>“Behind each application is an individual pursuing opportunities abroad—a student enrolling in a foreign university, a professional pursuing overseas employment, or a family completing important legal processes across borders,” Lazaro said.</p><p>The Secretary encouraged other government document-issuing agencies to integrate into the system.</p><p>“Beyond technology, this initiative reflects our enduring commitment to public service. By modernizing authentication processes, we enable the public to pursue opportunities abroad with greater ease while positioning the Philippines as a regional leader in digital public service delivery,” she said.</p><p>Lazaro noted that after the DFA-organized National Workshop on the Implementation of e-Apostille last December, several agencies under the Philippine government are now in the pipeline for integration into the e-Apostille system this year.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/6/psa-free-issueance-of-birth-marriage-certificates-for-women-in-march-1100">PSA: Free issuance of birth, marriage certificates for women in March</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZOxJZ3ZffQs?si=pMJcXHzLJXpayGmJ" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday formally launched the Fully Digital Apostille System for PSA eCertificates and CHED electronic Certification, Authentication and Verification documents, eliminating paper apostilles for both document types effective immediately.</p>

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday formally launched the Fully Digital Apostille System for PSA eCertificates and CHED electronic Certification, Authentication and Verification documents, eliminating paper apostilles for both document types effective immediately.

PH launches fully digital apostille for PSA, CHED documents

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PH launches fully digital apostille for PSA, CHED documents

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 16, 2026 06:37 PM PHT

Read More:

DFA

Philippines

apostille

CHED

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