the office of justice of the peace  ex officio  sh all not, solely by reason of such authority, be also entitled to act in the capacity of notaries  ex officio . [2131-1.] The authority conferred in subsections  (a)  and  (b)  hereof may, in the absence of the chief or clerk of court, be exercised by an assistant chief, acting chief, or deputy clerk of court pertaining to the office in question. IDaCcS SECTION  277 . Notary Public Ex Officio Required to Use Register . — No person shall do any act in the capacity of notary public  ex officio  in cases where full notarial authentication is required unless he shall have the prescribed notarial register; but the  notarial acts of an assistant chief, acting chief, or deputy clerk shall be entered in the same register as would be used by his principal. [136-87; 2035-2; 2244-1.] SECTION  278 . Seal of Notary Public . — Every person appointed to the position of notary public shall have a seal of office, to be procured at his own expense, which shall be affixed to papers officially signed by him. It shall be of metal and shall have the  name of the province and the words "Philippine Islands" and his own name engraved on the margin thereof, and the words "notary public" across the center. An impression of such seal directly on the paper or parchment on which the writing is had shall be as  valid as if made on wax or wafer. [906-1.] In the case of the chief of the General Land Registration Office or other clerk of court acting as notary, public  ex officio , it shall suffice to use the official seal of the court to which the officer in question pertains: other officials authorized to ac t as notaries public  ex officio  are not required to keep or use a seal, unless especially so prescribed by law. SECTION  279 . Notarial Register . — Every notary public shall keep a register to be known as the notarial register, wherein record shall be made of all his Copyright 2012 CD Technologies Asia, Inc. and Accesslaw, Inc. Philippine Law Encyclopedia 2011 95 ARTICLE  V Notarial Register ARTICLE  IV Notarial Seal 