A Service Agreement is a contract wherein one party, the service provider, agrees to provide, perform, or render certain services to the other party, the client. The services can be a one-time service such as being a clown for a birthday party or painting a room or it can be a continuing service such as writing an article for a blog or providing accounting services.
How to use this document
This document can be used by a service provider getting ready to provide a service for a client or a client preparing to hire a new service provider. The user should enter all the information required to complete the document. Once completed, the user should print at least three (3) copies of the document. If there are any attachments to the document, the attachments should be marked and attached to all the copies of the document. Marking the attachments means identifying the attachments by writing the words “Annex “A”, Annex “B”, and so on, on the attachments. The user should use the document as a guide to properly mark the attachments. For convenience, the attachments have been emphasized in bold. Once the document has been printed and the attachments attached, if any, the parties should review and, if everything is found to be correct, sign all original copies of the document.
Notarizing the document
If the parties want to notarize the agreement, this document also contains an Acknowledgment. An Acknowledgment is an act of a person before a notary public stating that the signature on a document was voluntarily affixed by him and he executed the document as his free and voluntary act. Acknowledging a document before a notary public turns document into a public document. Public documents are generally self-authenticating, meaning no other evidence will be needed to prove the execution of the document. Notarizing a Services Agreement is not mandatory.
If the document will be acknowledged, the parties should present themselves before a notary public with all the copies of the document and swear an oath to the foregoing. The parties should also bring a competent piece of identification, such as a passport or driver’s license, to present to the notary public. A competent piece of identification is one that was issued by an official agency and should bear the photograph and signature of the respective party. If the document is acknowledged, the notary public will keep one original copy of the document.
Regardless of whether the document will be notarized or not, the service provider and the client should each keep a copy of the document for their records.
Applicable law
The laws on Contracts and Obligations found in the Civil Code of the Philippines applies to this document. The Labor Code of the Philippines as well as orders, rules, and regulations from the Department of Labor and Employment may also apply to guide the user as to what can and cannot be contracted to service providers.