GUIDELINES ON LEGAL AID

GUIDELINES GOVERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT

AND OPERATION OF LEGAL AID OFFICES IN ALL
CHAPTERS
OF THE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES
ARTICLE I
Section 1 to 5)
PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY
SECTION. 1. Public service. Legal Aid is not a matter of
carit!. It is a means for te correction of social imbalances
tat ma! and often do lead to in"ustice# for $ic reason it is a
%ublic res%onsibilit! of te &ar. Te s%irit of %ublic service
sould# terefore# underlie all legal aid offices. Te same
sould be so administered as to give ma'imum %ossible
assistance to indigent and deserving members of te
communit! in all cases# matters and situations in $ic legal
aid ma! be necessar! to forestall an in"ustice.
SEC. (. Ca%ter legal aid offices. To attain tis ob"ective
legal aid offices sould be as close as %ossible to tose $o
are in need tereof)te masses. *ence# ever! Ca%ter of te
Integrated &ar must establis and o%erate an ade+uate legal
aid office.
SEC. ,. Notice of location. Te s%ecific address or location of
said office sould be announced in a notice# $ic sall be
%ublised as e'tensivel! as ma! be %ossible.
SEC. -. Officials to be notified. Te follo$ing officials sall
also be furnised co%ies of said notice# $it te re+uest tat
te same be given te $idest %ossible %ublicit!# namel!.
a. Te /udges of all courts of "ustice# including suc oter
"udicial or +uasi)"udicial organs# if an!# as ma! be %erforming
teir functions $itin te Province# Cit! or area tereof to $ic
te "urisdiction of te I&P e'tends0
b. Te Cler1s of Court of said courts# te 2e%ut! Cler1s of
Court of te &rances tereof# and te officers %erforming
e+uivalent duties in said courts or organs# or in te division or
brances tereof0
c. Te Provincial 3overnor and te cief e'ecutives of te
cities# munici%alities and oter %olitical subdivisions $itin te
%rovince or $itin said cities and4or munici%alities0
d. Te Provincial Commander of te Constabular!# te
Provincial 5arden# te Ciefs of te Cit! and4or 6unici%al
Police 7orces# as $ell as te eads of suc oter %olice# arm!
and similar la$)enforcing agencies# if an!# as ma! be stationed
in said %rovince# cities# munici%alities and4or oter %olitical
subdivisions0 and
e. Scools# curces and suc oter institutions# organi8ations
or %ersons as te &oard of Officers of te Ca%ter or te
E'ecutive 2irector of its Legal Aid Office ma! deem fit.
SEC.9. Posting of notice. Te aforementioned officers
discarging te duties of Cler1s of Court and4or 2e%ut! Cler1s
of Court# or %erforming similar e+uivalent functions# sall#
moreover# be re+uested to %ost said notice in teir res%ective
offices.
ARTICLE II
(Section )
A:TONO6; AN2 :NI7O<6IT;
SEC. =. Autonom! and :niformit!. In te discarge of teir
res%onsibilities# all Ca%ters sall en"o! ma'imum local
autonom! $it te frame$or1 of uniform guidelines# under te
direction and su%ervision of te National Committee on Legal
Aid and sub"ect to te autorit! of te &oard of 3overnors.
ARTICLE III
(Section !)
COO<2INATION AN2 COOPE<ATION
SEC. >. Coordination and Coo%eration. 6a'imum levels of
coordination and coo%eration sall be maintained at all times
among all Ca%ter Legal Aid Offices# as $ell as $it oter
organi8ations aving similar ob"ectives or %erforming
analogous or allied functions ) suc as# inter alia# te
2e%artment of Social 5elfare ?2S5@# te Citi8ens Legal
Assistance Office ?CLAO@# te 2e%artment of Agrarian
<eforms ?2A<@# te 5omen La$!ers Association of te
Pili%%ines ?5LAP@# and te :.P. 5omen La$!ers Circle
?5ILOCI@ and %articularl! $it courts of "ustice# %rovincial
fiscals# cit! fiscal and4or cit! attorne!s# and oter offices
discarging similar duties.
ARTICLE IV
(Section ")
NATIONAL CO66ITTEE ON LE3AL AI2
SEC. A. 7unctions. Te National Committee on Legal Aid
sall %romote te establisment and efficient maintenance of
Ca%ter Legal Aid Offices suited to %rovide free legal services
to tose unable to %a! for suc services0 direct and su%ervise
all Ca%ter Legal Aid Offices0 maintain ma'imum levels of
coordination and coo%eration $it oter organi8ations aving
similar ob"ectives0 receive and solicit aid and assistance from
an! available and suitable source or sources# %rovided tat te
inde%endent caracter of te Legal Aid is not im%aired0 and in
general# but sub"ect to te autorit! of te &oard of 3overnors#
do or cause to be done all tings necessar! and %ro%er for te
%romotion of Legal Aid activities# %ro"ects and ob"ectives.
ARTICLE V
(Section# $ %n& 1')
C*APTE< LE3AL AI2 CO66ITTEES
SEC. B. Ca%ter Legal Aid Committees. Te Legal Aid Office
of eac Ca%ter sall be administered b! a Legal Aid
Committee under te direction and control of te Ca%ter
&oard of Officers.
SEC. 1C. Com%osition# a%%ointment and term. Said
Committee sall ave# at least# a Cairman and t$o ?(@ oter
6embers # $o sall be a%%ointed b! te President of te
Ca%ter# $it te consent of a ma"orit! of te members of e
&oard of Officers# u%on te election and assum%tion of office of
te Ca%ter Officers# and sall serve for a term of one ?1@ !ear
and until te a%%ointment and +ualification of teir successors.
ARTICLE VI
(Section# 11 %n& 1()
PO5E<S AN2 2:TIES O7 C*APTE< LE3AL AI2
CO66ITTEES
SEC. 11. 6ain %o$ers and duties. Ever! Ca%ter Legal Aid
Committee sall.
?a@ A%%oint an E'ecutive 2irector of Legal Aid $enever
necessar! or e'%edient b! reason of te volume of $or1 to be
%erformed or for some oter cause# $it suc com%ensation as
ma! be fi'ed b! te Ca%ter &oard of Officers0 %rovided#
o$ever# tat $ere no suc necessit! e'ists or said
a%%ointment is not demanded b! considerations of e'%edienc!#
or in te event of absence# illness or inca%acit! of te
E'ecutive 2irector or of vacanc! in said office# its function sall
be discarged# $itout com%ensation# b! te Cairman of te
Ca%ter Legal Aid Committee or te Committee 6ember
designated tere for b! said Cairman0
?b@ A%%oint additional Legal Aid %ersonnel $it suc
com%ensation as ma! be fi'ed b! te ca%ter &oard of
Officers# $enever te needs for suc additional %ersonnel
arises and te funds available to te Ca%ter Legal Aid
Committee %ermit it# %rovided# o$ever# tat te Ca%ter Legal
Aid Committee sall ma1e use# to te fullest %ossible e'tent# of
te services of te ead+uarters staff and suc office s%ace#
e+ui%ment and su%%lies of te Ca%ter as ma! be available# or
of suc office s%ace and oter facilities# if an!# as ma! be
made available to te Committee b! a local court or a branc
of an! oter court or a branc or office of te 2e%artment of
Social 5elfare# te <ed Cross# te Citi8ens Legal Assistance
Office# te Election <egistrar# or an! oter similar organi8ation
or b! a la$ scool or educational institution0
?c@ Autori8e la$ students to $or1 in te Ca%ter Legal Aid
Office# $it te %revious a%%roval of te &oard of Officers and
under suc conditions as it ma! %rescribe0
?d@ Ado%t its o$n budget# $it te a%%roval of te Ca%ter
&oard of Officers0
?e@ Solicit and receive aid and assistance from an! legitimate
source or sources# %rovided tat te inde%endent caracter of
te Legal Aid Office is not im%aired0 tat# in te case of
conditional donations# te conditions are a%%roved b! te
&oard of Officers0 and tat suc aid and assistance are dul!
recei%ted for b! te E'ecutive 2irector or te %erson
designated b! im tere for# $it te a%%roval of said &oard of
Officers0
?f@ Establis and administer a Ca%ter Legal Aid 7und0
?g@ 6a1e a%%ro%riations and disbursements0
?@ Dee% %ro%er boo1s of account and submit# %ro%erl!
audited# annual financial statements# to te Ca%ter &oard of
Officers and te President of te Integrated &ar of te
Pili%%ines0
?i@ Classif! te Ca%ter members# %referabl! after consulting
tem# on te basis of te field of la$ in $ic te! ave
s%eciali8ed or te! are more inclined to render free legal aid0
?"@ Pre%are a list of Ca%ter members $o volunteer to $or1 in
te Ca%ter Legal Aid Office or to render free legal aid0
?1@ 5it te a%%roval of te &oard of Officers# assign or
designate members of te Ca%ter to render services in te
office of te Committee# on a fair and e+uitable rotation
s!stem# for counseling and consultation# as often and for suc
%eriods as ma! be necessar! or e'%edient0
?l@ 5it te a%%roval of te &oard of Officers# assign s%ecific
legal aid cases or matters to carefull! selected members of te
Ca%ter# %rovided tat tese assignments sall be made in
suc a $a! tat te burden of te $or1 is s%read out as fairl!
and e+uitabl! as %ossible among te members of te Ca%ter0
?m@ Pass u%on ever! re+uest for legal aid# as %rovided for in
Articles EII and EIII of tese 3uidelines0
?n@ 5en te interest of "ustice and e'%edienc! demands it and
te main %art of te $or1 involved in a given case or matter is
to be done $itin te territorial "urisdiction of anoter Ca%ter#
endorse and refer tereto said case or matter0
?o@ Dee% itself informed on significant incidents and
develo%ments in ever! case of legal aid# and ta1e suc ste%s
as ma! be necessar! and %ro%er to e'%edite te final
dis%osition tereof0 and
?%@ Submit to te &oard of Officers and National Committee on
Legal Aid an annual re%ort of its o%erations# stating its
com%osition an administrative set)u%# te number of cases
andled and of consultations attended to as $ell as te nature
and e'tent of te services rendered# te outcome and status of
te cases andled # te e'%enses re+uired and tose incurred
in eac case# all income derived# if an!# in connection $it said
cases# te %roblems and difficulties encountered# s%ecial
%ro"ects underta1en or to be underta1en# and %articulars
regarding te financial condition of te Committee# $it suc
recommendations or suggestions as ma! be deemed fit and
%ro%er.
SEC.1(. Oter %o$ers and duties. Ever! Ca%ter Legal Aid
Committee sall ave# also# suc oter %o$ers and duties as
are or ma! be necessar! or %ro%er for te attainment of
ob"ectives# sub"ect to suc limitations or conditions as ma!#
from time to time# be im%osed b! te Ca%ter &oard of Officers
b! te President and4or te &oard of 3overnors of te
Integrated &ar of te Pili%%ines.
ARTICLE VII
(Section# 1) to 1")
P<OCE2:<E
SEC. 1,. <e+uests# $ere filed. All re+uests for legal aid
sall be filed $it te Ca%ter Legal Aid Committee or $it te
National Committee on Legal Aid. Te National Committee on
Legal Aid sall# as muc as %ossible# concentrate on cases of
%aramount im%ortance or national im%act.
SEC. 1-. <eferral to Ca%ter Committee. <e+uests received
b! te National Office of te Integrated &ar sall be referred b!
te National Committee on Legal Aid to te corres%onding
Ca%ter Legal Aid Committee of te localit! $ere te cases
ave to be filed or $ere te cases are %ending. 6oreover# te
Ca%ter President and te Cairman of te Ca%terFs
Committee on Legal Aid sall be advised of suc referral.
SEC. 19. Action on re+uest. Te Ca%ter Legal Aid
Committee sall %ass u%on ever! re+uest for legal aid# sub"ect
to revie$ b! te Ca%ter &oard of Officers0 %rovided# o$ever#
tat# in urgent matters# re+uiring %rom%t or immediate action#
te E'ecutive 2irector or $oever %erforms is functions# ma!
%rovisionall! act on te re+uest# sub"ect to revie$ b! te Legal
Aid Committee and# tereafter# b! te &oard of Officers.
SEC. 1=. 5ritten A%%lication. Te E'ecutive 2irector or
$osoever discarges is duties sall see to it tat ever!
re+uest for legal aid is set fort in an a%%lication $ic sall
adere substantiall! to te forms enclosed ere$it as %art
ereof and mar1ed Anne' GAH at least in du%licate# $ic
sall be subscribed b! te %art! re+uesting legal aid or is dul!
autori8ed re%resentative.
SEC. 1>. Co%! for national committee. :%on com%letion or
conclusion# for an! cause# of te services re+uested or u%on
denial of te a%%lication for legal aid# a carbon co%! of said
a%%lication sall be for$arded to te National Committee on
Legal Aid.
SEC. 1A. Amendments to a%%lication form. Ca%ter &oard of
Officers ma!# on its o$n initiative or u%on tat of its Legal Aid
Committee suggest or recommend# at an! time# to te National
Legal Aid Committee suc amendments of said form Anne' GAH
as it ma! deem fit and %ro%er.
ARTICLE VIII
(Section# 1$ to (*)
TESTS
SEC. 1B. Combined tests. Te Ca%ter Legal Committee or
te National Committee on Legal Aid# as te case ma! be#
sall %ass u%on re+uests for legal aid b! te combined
a%%lication of te means tests and merit tests# and te
consideration of oter factors adverted to in te follo$ing
sections.
SEC. (C. 6eans Test. Te means test aims at determining
$eter te a%%licant as no visible means of su%%ort or is
income is oter$ise insufficient to %rovide te financial
resources necessar! to engage com%etent %rivate counsel
o$ing to te demands for subsistence of is famil!# considering
te number of is de%endents and te conditions %revailing in
te localit!.
Te means test sall not be a%%licable to a%%licants $o fall
under te 2evelo%mental Legal Aid Program suc as Overseas
7ili%ino 5or1ers# fisermen# farmers# $omen and cildren and
oter disadvantaged grou%s.
SEC. (1. 6erit test. Te merit test see1s to ascertain
$eter or not te a%%licantFs cause of action or is defense is
valid and cances of establising te same a%%ear reasonable.
SEC. ((. Oter factors. Te effect of te Legal Aid Service or
of te failure to render te same u%on te <ule of La$# te
%ro%er administration of "ustice# te %ublic interest involved in
given cases and te %ractice of la$ in te localit! sall#
li1e$ise# be considered.
SEC. (,. Private %ractice. Care sall be ta1en tat te Legal
Aid is not availed of to te detriment of te %rivate %ractice of
la$# or ta1en advantage of b! an!one for %ersonal ends.
SEC. (-. 2enial. Legal aid ma! be denied to an a%%licant
alread! receiving ade+uate legal assistance from an! source
oter tat te Integrated &ar.
ARTICLE I+
(Section# (5 to (!)
CONT<I&:TIONS O7 S:CCESS7:L LITI3ANTS
SEC. (9. Attorne!Fs 7ees to te Ca%ter or to te NCLA. In
te event of successful litigation# $atever attorne!Fs fees ma!
ave been a$arded to te reci%ient of legal aid sall belong to
te National Committee on Legal Aid or te Ca%ter tat
rendered suc legal aid# as te case ma! be.
SEC. (=. Contributions to te Legal Aid 7und. <egardless of
$eter or not attorne!Fs fees ave been a$arded# te
National Committee on Legal Aid or te Ca%ter Legal Aid
Committee# as te case ma! be# sall ave discretion to
re+uire te reci%ient of legal aid# in $ose favor decision as
been rendered# to turn over a nominal or reasonable %ortion of
is actual recover!# not e'ceeding ten ?1C@ %er centum tereof#
to te National 2irector for Legal Aid# as contribution to te
Legal Aid 7und tereof# for te o%eration and maintenance of
said &ureau. A %ortion of te said amount ma! be given to te
la$!er $o andled te case.
In cases falling under te 2evelo%mental Legal Aid Program#
te andling la$!er sall receive ten %ercent ?1CI@ of te
actual recover! b! te client)a%%licant. Te client sall also
contribute fifteen %ercent ?19I@ of te said a$ard to te Legal
Aid fund of te Ca%ter or to te NCLA# as te case ma! be.
SEC. (>. Services *onorar!. No la$!er or member of te
staff of te Ca%ter Legal Aid Office sall directl! or indirectl!
demand or receive from te reci%ient of legal aid an!
com%ensation# gift or %resent for services rendered in
connection tere$it.
ARTICLE +
(Section (")
LOCAL <:LES AN2 <E3:LATIONS
SEC. (A. <ules and <egulations. Te Ca%ter &oard of
Officers ma! ado%t rules and regulations# not inconsistent $it
tese guidelines and suc directive as ma! be issued b! te
President or te &oard of 3overnors of te Integrated &ar of
te Pili%%ines# to govern te establisment and o%eration of
te Ca%ter Legal Aid Office.
ARTICLE +I
(Section ($)
A6EN26ENTS
SEC. (B. Amendments. Tese 3uidelines ma! be amended#
modified or re%ealed b! te &oard of 3overnors of te
Integrated &ar of te Pili%%ines motu %ro%rio or u%on te
recommendation of te National Committee on Legal aid or
an! Ca%ter &oard of Officers.
ARTICLE +II
(Section )')
E77ECTIEIT;
SEC. ,C. Effectivit!. Tese 3uidelines sall ta1e effect
immediatel!.
&egun and eld in 6etro 6anila# on 6onda!# te t$ent!)
sevent da! of /ul!# t$o tousand nine.
REPUBLIC ACT NO, $$$$
AN ACT PROVIDING A MECHANISM FOR FREE LEGAL
ASSISTANCE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1, Short Title. ) Tis Act sall be 1no$n as te "Free
Legal Assistance Act of 2010".
Section (, Declaration of Policy. ) It is te declared %olic! of
te State to value te dignit! of ever! uman %erson and
guarantee te rigts of ever! individual# %articularl! tose $o
cannot afford te services of legal counsel.
7urtermore# it is te %olic! of te State to %romote a "ust and
d!namic social order tat $ill ensure te %ros%erit! and
inde%endence of te nation and free te %eo%le from %overt!
troug %olicies and %rograms tat %rovide ade+uate social
services and im%rove te +ualit! of life for all.
In addition# te State sall guarantee free legal assistance to
te %oor and ensure tat ever! %erson $o cannot afford te
services of a counsel is %rovided $it a com%etent and
inde%endent counsel %referabl! of is4er o$n coice# if u%on
determination it a%%ears tat te %art! cannot afford te
services of a counsel# and tat services of a counsel are
necessar! to secure te ends of "ustice and %rotect of te
%art!.
Section ), Definition of Terms. ) As %rovided for in tis Act# te
term legal services to be %erformed b! a la$!er refers to an!
activit! $ic re+uires te a%%lication of la$# legal %rocedure#
1no$ledge# training and e'%eriences $ic sall include#
among oters# legal advice and counsel# and te %re%aration of
instruments and contracts# including a%%earance before te
administrative and +uasi)"udicial offices# bodies and tribunals
andling cases in court# and oter similar services as ma! be
defined b! te Su%reme Court.
Section *, Reuirements for !vailment. ) 7or %ur%oses of
availing of te benefits and services as envisioned in tis Act# a
la$!er or %rofessional %artnersi% sall secure a certification
from te Public Attorne!Js Office ?PAO@# te 2e%artment of
/ustice ?2O/@ or accredited association of te Su%reme Court
indicating tat te said legal services to be %rovided are $itin
te services defined b! te Su%reme Court# and tat te
agencies cannot %rovide te legal services to be %rovided b!
te %rivate counsel.
7or %ur%ose of determining te number of ours actuall!
%rovided b! te la$!er and4or %rofessional firm in te %rovision
of legal services# te association and4or organi8ation dul!
accredited b! te Su%reme Court sall issue te necessar!
certification tat said legal services $ere actuall! underta1en.
Te certification issued b!# among oters# te PAO# te 2O/
and oter accredited association b! te Su%reme Court sall
be submitted to te &ureau of Internal <evenue ?&I<@ for
%ur%oses of availing te ta' deductions as %rovided for in tis
Act and to te 2O/ for %ur%oses of monitoring.
Section 5, "ncentives to #a$yers. ) 7or %ur%oses of tis Act# a
la$!er or %rofessional %artnersi%s rendering actual free legal
services# as defined b! te Su%reme Court# sall be entitled to
an allo$able deduction from te gross income# te amount tat
could ave been collected for te actual free legal services
rendered or u% to ten %ercent ?1CI@ of te gross income
derived from te actual %erformance of te legal %rofession#
$icever is lo$er. Provided# Tat te actual free legal
services erein contem%lated sall be e'clusive of te
minimum si't! ?=C@)our mandator! legal aid services rendered
to indigent litigants as re+uired under te <ule on 6andator!
Legal Aid Services for Practicing La$!ers# under &A< 6atter
No. (C1(# issued b! te Su%reme Court.
Section , "nformation% &ducation and Communication '"&C(
Campaign. ) Te 2O/# in coo%eration $it te Pili%%ine
Information Agenc! ?PIA@# is ereb! mandated to conduct an
annual IEC cam%aign in order to inform te la$!ers of te
%rocedures and guidelines in availing ta' deductions and
inform te general %ublic tat a free legal assistance to tose
$o cannot afford counsel is being %rovided b! te
State.)avvph*)
Section !, Reportorial Reuirement. ) 7or %ur%oses of
determining te effectiveness and social im%act of te
%rovisions of tis Act# te 2O/ sall submit an annual re%ort to
bot *ouses of Congress indicating tere$it te number of
%arties $o benefited from tis Act.
Te re%ort sall state in detail# among oters# te geogra%ic
location# demogra%ic caracteristics and socioeconomic
%rofile of te beneficiaries of tis Act.
Section ", "mplementing Rules and Regulations '"RR(. ) 5itin
ninet! ?BC@ da!s from te date effectivit! of tis Act# te &I<
sall formulate te necessar! revenue regulations for te
%ro%er im%lementation of te ta' com%onent as envisioned in
tis Act.
Te Su%reme Court sall formulate te necessar!
im%lementing rules and regulations $it res%ect to te legal
services covered under tis Act and te %rocess of
accreditation of organi8ations and4or associations $ic $ill
%rovide free legal assistance.
Section $, Separability Clause. ) If an! %rovision of tis Act is
declared unconstitutional or invalid# te oter %rovisions not
affected b! suc declaration sall remain in full force and
effect.
Section 1', Repealing Clause. ) An! la$# decree# ordinance or
administrative circular not consistent $it an! %rovision of tis
Act is ereb! amended# re%ealed or modified accordingl!.
Section 11, &ffectivity Clause. ) Tis Act sall ta1e effect
fifteen ?19@ da!s after its com%lete %ublication in te Official
3a8ette or in t$o ?(@ ne$s%a%ers of general circulation.