 What is Katarungang Pambarangay?

Katarungang Pambarangay is a
system of dispute resolution instituted in
all barangays in the Philippines that
seeks to promote, among others, the
speedy administration of justice, by
providing all avenues to an amicable
settlement, thereby considerably
reducing the dockets in our courts of
justice.
 What are the purposes and objectives of the
Katarungang Pambarangay?
The essence of a barangay justice is a peaceful and
harmonious resolution of conflicts within the
barangay instead of adversarial proceedings in the
courts. Peaceful settlement of disputes among the
family and barangay members without going to the
courts “is a timehonored tradition in the Philippines
and is at the root of a Filipino culture.” KP recognizes
the traditional modes of dispute resolution borne-out
of time-honored traditions of:
• Pakikisama (community-spirit)
• Utang na loob (debt of gratitude)
• Kinship
 Katarungang Pambarangay helps reduce the
number of indiscriminate filing of cases that
leads to congestion of court dockets. By
compelling the parties to settle their conflicts
through the intervention of the barangay, the
animosity generated by a protracted court
litigation, which is a disruptive factor toward
unity and cooperation, is avoided.
It is believed, however, that the KP Law can
be used to achieve higher societal goals such as
good citizenship and strong communities beyond
its originally intended purpose of decongesting
the courtdockets.
How was Katarungang Pambarangay introduced
into our justice system?
The first abstract conception of the
Katarungang Pambarangay Law started in 1976
when Supreme Court Justice Fred Ruiz Castro
proposed the innovative idea of settling disputes
through “neighbourhood paralegal committee.” The
abstract conception of the law first saw a ray of hope
for a possible passage of a law when Presidential
Decree No. 1293 was promulgated on January 27,
1978. It created a presidential commission tasked
with a duty of studying the feasibility of instituting a
system of settling disputes among the members in
the barangay without going to courts.
What was the first law that
institutionalized Katarungang
Pambarangay?
Presidential Decree No. 1508 in 1978 was
the first KP Law that institutionalized
Katarungang Pambarangay. It was
promulgated by then President Ferdinand
Marcos with the passage of Presidential
Decree No. 1508 in 1978. The law took effect
on December 30, 1978 and this was the law
that organized, established and
institutionalized a formal system of amicable
settlement of disputes at the barangay level.
What was the real intent of the passage of
PD 1508?
Although PD No. 1508 was the first law to
organize, establish and institutionalize the
Katarungang Pambarangay, its real intent was
to give full recognition to the historical fact
that peaceful settlement of disputes among the
family and barangay members without going to
the courts is a time- honoured tradition in the
Philippines and is at the root of a Filipino
culture.
Has PD 1508 been amended or
repealed?
Yes. Fourteen years later, PD No. 1508
was repealed by RA No. 7160, otherwise
known as the Local Government Code of
1991. In the repealing law, the KP Law was
incorporated as part of the codified laws
on local government.
Sec.. 399 - 422, Chapter VII of R.A.
7160 are the relevant sections on
Katarungang Pambarangay.
QUICK REVIEW:
What is the role of the Lupong
Tagapamayapa?
The Lupon is the Peace-Making Council
in the barangay.
What is its composition?
The lupon is created in each barangay
and is composed of: (a) the Punong
Barangay as chairman, and ten (10) to
twenty (20) members appointed by the
Punong Barangay.
In case of vacancies in the lupon, how is this filled?
Should a vacancy occur in the lupon for any cause, the
punong barangay immediately appoints a qualified person
who shall hold office only for the unexpired portion of the
term.

What are the functions of the lupon?

• Exercise administrative supervision over the
conciliation panels;
• Meet regularly once a month to provide a forum for
exchange of ideas among its members and the public on
matters relevant to the amicable settlement of disputes, and
to enable various conciliation panel members to share with
one another their observations and experiences in effecting
speedy resolution disputes; and
• Exercise such other powers and perform such other
duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or
ordinance;