[136-82.] SECTION  275 . Powers of Notary Public . — Every notary public shall have power to administer all oaths and affirmations provided for by law, in all matters incident to his notarial office, and in the execution of affidavits, depositions, and other documents  requiring an oath, and to receive the proof or acknowledgment of all writings relating to commerce or navigation, such as bills of sale, bottomries, mortgages, and hypothecations of ships, vessels, or boats, charter parties of affreightments, letters of at torney, deeds, mortgages, transfers and assignments of land or buildings, or an interest therein, and such other writings as are commonly proved or acknowledged before notaries; to act as magistrates, in the writing of affidavits or depositions, and to mak e declarations and certify the truth thereof under his seal of office, concerning all matters done by him by virtue of his office. [136-83.] Notaries Public Ex Officio SECTION  276 . Officers Acting as Notaries Public Ex Officio . — Except as otherwise specially provided, the following officials, and none other, shall be deemed to be notaries public  ex officio , and as such they are authorized to perform, within the limits of  their territorial jurisdiction as hereinbelow defined, all the duties appertaining to the office of notary public: [162-1, 2; 496-9; 644-1; 742-1; 809-1 ( a ); 1862-1; 2041-3; 2131-1.] [162-1; 809-1 ( a ); 2347.] ARTICLE  III (a) The chief of the division of archives, patents, copyrights, and trade-marks, the clerk of the Supreme Court, the clerk of the Court of First Instance of the Ninth Judicial District, and the chief of the General Land Registration Office, when acting wit hin the limits of the city of Manila. (b) Clerks of Courts of First Instance outside of the city of Manila, when acting within the judicial districts to which they respectively pertain. (c) Justices of the peace, within the limits of the territory over which their jurisdiction as justices of the peace extends; but auxiliary justices of the peace and other officers who are by law vested with Copyright 2012 CD Technologies Asia, Inc. and Accesslaw, Inc. Philippine Law Encyclopedia 2011 94