The National Archives of the Philippines (NAP) shall examine, identify and formulate policies regarding the records of government agencies. It shall classify and preserve those which are of permanent or enduring historical value. It shall advice on the creation, maintenance, storage, use and disposition of such records.

Article III Section 15 of Republic Act No. 9470 states that all government offices shall conduct an inventory of their public records and shall be mandated to keep the following data in their respective registry:

(a) All public records under its custody;
(b) All public records transferred to the NAP;
(c) Public records disposed of with authority (Sections 18 and 19 of
R.A. 9470);
(d) Data of deferred transfer of records (Section 21 of R.A. 9470);
and
(e) A public access register that contains information on:

(1)  Restrictions on public access to public records imposed under
Section 31(g) of R.A. 9470;

(2)  Prohibitions imposed under Section 36 of R.A. 9470 on public access
to public archives or protected records under the control of the
Executive Director;

(3) The grounds for the prohibitions and restrictions stipulated under
Sections 36 and 37 of R.A. 9470; and

(4)  The conditions agreed on under Section 23 of R.A. 9470 as to public
access for protected records transferred to the control of the
Executive Director of NAP.

The inventory shall cover all public records, facilitative and those with archival value created and maintained in all branches of the government, whether national or local, constitutional offices, government owned controlled corporations, government financial institutions, state/local universities and colleges, Philippine embassies, consulates and other Philippine offices abroad. As needed, it shall also cover private archival collections.