Quezon City, Philippines — DOST-backed tech startup Twala has digitally signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Quezon City Chapter—the largest IBP chapter in the country—to equip around 13,000 lawyers with cutting-edge digital signature and electronic notary solutions, pushing digital transformation farther in the legal profession.

Despite the ongoing digital shift, 70% of enterprises in the Philippines still heavily rely on physical paperwork for their operations. This dependence on paper is not only costing businesses in terms of time but is also draining financial resources that could be better invested elsewhere.

Makati City, October 9, 2025 — Twala is honored to participate in the Contract Management Summit organized by the PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies (PJLGC), held at the Networld Capital Ventures Inc. (NCVI) Building in Makati City.

B2B transactions in the Philippines are shifting to paperless processes through electronic signatures (e-signatures). This change speeds up deals, enhances trust, and improves security, transforming how businesses operate.

As the Philippine HR sector rapidly evolves through digital transformation and the embrace of hybrid work setups, HR professionals are innovating to enhance operational efficiency and elevate the employee experience. The rise of electronic signatures is proving to be a critical enabler for organizations seeking to modernize workflows and ease administrative burdens. E-signatures offer a secure, swift, and paperless alternative to traditional HR documentation processes.

In an era where contracts are signed with a click and deals close without paper, the way we sign documents has completely changed. But with this shift comes confusion: are digital signatures and electronic signatures the same thing? At first glance, they might sound identical—after all, both allow you to sign without pen and paper. However, there’s a big difference in how they work, how secure they are, and when you should use them. Knowing the distinction is crucial for businesses and professionals who want to ensure their agreements are not only fast and convenient, but also legally valid and tamper-proof.

Every finance team knows the importance of timely budget approvals but many still struggle with delays caused by disorganized workflows. Whether it’s a disbursement request stuck in someone’s inbox or an unsigned budget document sitting on a physical desk, sign-off breakdowns are all too common. In fast moving organizations, these gaps can mean the difference between seizing an opportunity and missing it altogether.

In procurement, speed is not just a competitive advantage. It is a requirement. Whether you are finalizing a supplier contract, approving a purchase request, or onboarding a new vendor, delays at the signing stage can stall the entire workflow. E-signatures offer a powerful way to streamline the process. But not all platforms are designed for the complexity and urgency of procurement operations. If your team is evaluating solutions, now is the time to look beyond generic tools and invest in one that is purpose-built for procurement.

Digital signatures are everywhere from contract approvals to vendor agreements. But while using them is now common practice, many professionals assume that any digital signature carries full legal weight. That’s not always the case. Understanding what makes a digital signature legally valid is critical for procurement teams, legal departments, and decision-makers who rely on these tools for everyday operations.

August 5, 2025 – Quezon City, Philippines — At ASTICON 2025, one of the country’s premier conferences on emerging technologies, Twala CEO Engr. Jeffrey Reyes urged leaders to rethink how trust is built in the digital age.

In procurement, speed is not just a competitive advantage. It is a requirement. Whether you are finalizing a supplier contract, approving a purchase request, or onboarding a new vendor, delays at the signing stage can stall the entire workflow. E-signatures offer a powerful way to streamline the process. But not all platforms are designed for the complexity and urgency of procurement operations. If your team is evaluating solutions, now is the time to look beyond generic tools and invest in one that is purpose-built for procurement.

As legal teams adopt digital workflows, many unknowingly face a growing risk: unsigned or improperly signed documents. Whether it's an NDA, contract, or affidavit, missing signatures can jeopardize enforceability during audits, disputes, or regulatory reviews.

Pasay City, June 16, 2025 — In support of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s (PEZA) commitment to digital transformation, Twala, a leading provider of secure and legally compliant digital signature solutions in the Philippines, was invited to present during the agency’s Flag Raising Ceremony held on June 16, 2025, at the PEZA Head Office in Pasay City.

Pasay City, Philippines – In a significant recognition of its transformative contributions, Twala was honored by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) on October 30, 2024, at the Sheraton Hotel in Pasay City. The prestigious award acknowledged Twala’s pivotal role in promoting the Ease of Doing Business and delivering more efficient government services across the Philippines. Among the 21 awardees celebrated for their exceptional contributions, Twala stood out as the only non-government agency, underscoring the company’s unique position and impact in supporting ARTA’s mission through private sector innovation.

Contract disputes in the Philippine legal sector can be costly, time-consuming, and damaging to business relationships. One effective way to mitigate these issues is by adopting tamper-proof digital signatures, which offer enhanced security and document integrity.

The legal landscape in the Philippines can be challenging, especially when it comes to ensuring compliance with digital tools like electronic signatures. For businesses and law firms, making sure that digital signatures meet the requirements of the law—specifically the E-Commerce Act and the Rules on Electronic Evidence—can be a time-consuming and complex process. Understanding these requirements is crucial for ensuring that digital signatures are legally valid and admissible in court.

The Supreme Court has approved new guidelines for the electronic submission of pleadings, which took effect last April 5, 2024. This initiative, part of the Court's Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (2022-2027), aims to reduce court congestion and expedite legal processes by shifting to digital filings. The Guidelines are designed to:

The rise of e-commerce in the Philippines has introduced new challenges, particularly the risk of online fraud. As businesses increasingly rely on digital transactions, ensuring secure and trustworthy interactions has become essential. Digital signatures have emerged as a key tool for addressing these concerns, helping to reduce fraud and build trust in the digital economy. By ensuring document integrity and verifying identities, digital signatures enhance security in contracts, payments, and transactions.

Twala, a startup backed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines, has carved a niche for itself in the realm of intelligent document and digital identity technology. The company specializes in providing tamper-proof digital signatures, digital identity solutions, and intelligent document solutions. Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and secured by blockchain technology, Twala’s innovative solutions address critical needs for security and authenticity in the digital age.

Twala's Co-founder and CEO, Engr. Jeffrey Reyes, has been recognized as one of the Movers and Shakers in the Philippine Startup Ecosystem on Esquire Philippines Trailblazers List for 2024.

Twala, a DOST-backed digital signature and digital identity startup, e-signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Senate of the Philippines to help its digitalization efforts. This is the first time the Senate has entered into such an agreement with a Filipino innovative tech-startup.

Pinoy tech startup Twala said businesses can make their processes more efficient by shifting from paper-based documents to digital documents secured by blockchain. Lawyer Third Bagro, co-founder and general counsel of Twala, said by using a blockchain-powered digital identity and digital signature, businesses can also rest assured that their documents are tamper-proof and court-admissible.

The National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) has concludedits inaugural Billionaire Co-ops' Summit 2023 by signing a landmark 2-year contract worth 2 million pesos with innovative Philippine startup, Twala. This agreement heralds a new stage of financial and social inclusion within the cooperative sector, through digitalization of paper-based workflows.

Twala, a blockchain-powered digital identity, and digital signature platform, recently collaborated with the Philippine Supreme Court to provide inputs in their ongoing work to draft rules to allow electronic notarization in the country.

The importance of your legal department cannot be overstated. They handle all contracts and agreements that your business needs, from start to finish. However, this process generates massive amounts of paper, which in turn, generates massive amounts of work for your legal team.

The use of electronic signatures in the Philippines presents a vast and largely untapped opportunity for industries, both public and private. With the rapid acceleration of digital transformation and the recent wave of supportive regulations from key government institutions, electronic signatures are poised to become the new standard for secure, efficient, and legally recognized transactions.