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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) F)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) fs
First Regular Session ) |

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES °

HB. No, 3182

Introduced by Representative Ralph G. Recto

AN ACT
CREATING FOUR (4) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL
COURT IN THE FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE
MUNICIPALITIES OF ROSARIO AND SAN JUAN, PROVINCE OF BATANGAS,
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
SECTION 14(E) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS.
“THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AS AMENDED

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 16, Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that, “All
persons shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their cases before judicial, quasi-
judicial, or administrative bodies.” However, the reality is that delays in the resolution
of cases are prevalent. The twin problems of docket congestion and case delay
continue to beset the nation’s trial courts as the volume of cases filed consistently rise
while the disposition of cases is rather slow. As the population increases, it pushes the
judge-to-people ratio to an undesirable low level.

The problem of congestion is also evident in the Regional Trial Courts (RTC).
In the Municipality of Rosario, the existing RTC serves six (6) municipalities, namely:
Ibaan, Lobo, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Juan, and Taysan, which have a combined

population of more than 400,000.

This bill seeks to create four (4) additional branches of the Regional Trial Court
in the Fourth Judicial Region, three (3) branches in the Municipality of Rosario and
one (1) branch in the Municipality of San Juan, Province of Batangas.


The Municipality of Rosario and Municipality of San Juan are both located in
District 4 of the Province, which has a population of 128,352and 114,068 respectively,
as of 2020! In the Municipality of Rosario, which is the sixth most populous
municipality in the Province, the level of urbanization has steadily risen over the years
and has peaked in 2015 when the urban population comprised 27% of the total
population’. On the other hand, the Municipality of San Juan has forty- two (42)
barangays and is the second largest municipality in the Province of Batangas.?

Under the Fourth Judicial Region, there are existing twenty-one Regional Trial
Courts but only one branch is located in the Municipality of Rosario and none in the
Municipality of San Juan. The need to create new Regional Trial Courts in these
municipalities is clear. With the increasing population, more resources are needed to
hasten the resolution of court cases in order to strengthen the administration of
justice.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HB. No, 5182

Introduced by Representative Ralph G. Recto

AN ACT
CREATING FOUR (4) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL
COURT IN THE FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE
MUNICIPALITIES OF ROSARIO AND SAN JUAN, PROVINCE OF BATANGAS,
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
SECTION 14(E) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
“THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AS AMENDED

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Four (4) additional branches of the Regional Trial Court in the
Fourth Judicial Region are hereby created and stationed in the Province of Batangas,
as follows:

(a) Three (3) branches in the Municipality of Rosario; and

(b) One (1) branch in the Municipality of SanJuan.

The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch numbers for the newly
created branches of the Regional Trial Court.

Sec. 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the
Secretary of the Department of Justice, shall immediately include in the Court's
program the operationalization of the four (4) additional branches of the Regional
Trial Court in the municipalities of Rosario and San Juan, Province of Batangas. The
funds necessary for the operation of the courts herein created shall be appropriated
and released only upon the actual organization of the courts and the appointment of
its personnel.

Sec, 3. Section 14(e) of Batas Pambansa Big. 129, otherwise known as “The
Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980", as amended, and all other laws, rules and


regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or
modified accordingly.

Sec. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,