Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL 5261

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ELEANOR C. BULUT-BEGTANG

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This measure seeks to provide an additional branch of the Regional Trial Court to be
stationed at the municipality of Conner, Province of Apayao.

The existing lone Regional Trial Court Branch XXVI in Apayao is rendered inadequate in
quickly and judiciously dispensing with the resolution of cases considering the mounting
volume of cases that is regularly referred to it. In a nutshell, the administration of justice in
Apayao is seriously impaired as the present provision of one branch is not enough to serve
the seven (7) municipalities of Apayao.

Furthermore, the extreme distance of the existing Regional Trial Court Branch XXVI in Luna,
Apayao from the other municipalities in the upper Apayao area, which takes at least 5 hours
to travel deprives the people of immediate access and reach to the judicial institution. The
current situation in the province manifests therefore this lack of access to the courts, for
those in upper Apayao Municipalities. The addition of one Regional Trial Court branch with
seat at Conner, Apayao will address the present problem of court backlog and the
difficulties of party litigants and their lawyers in traversing the mountainous roads from
upper Apayao to lower Apayao, and will bring closer the institutiéns of genuine justice in
the municipalities of upper Apayao.

With the end in view of making the courts accessible to the people in different
municipalities of the province and making the attendance of litigants and witnesses as
inexpensive as possible, we implore that this bill be passed.

It is most sought that the Province of Apayao, while economically disadvantaged and
lagging in terms of national government funding support, be provided with the institutions
of effective governance, which in this case is the administration of justice.

Your support to this bill is therefore earnestly implored.

ELEANOR/C. BULUT-BE@TANG


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL___ 9261

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ELEANOR C. BULUT-BEGTANG.

EXPLANATORY NOTE
AN ACT
FURTHER AMENDING PARAGRAPH (B) OF SECTION FOURTEEN OF BATAS PAMBANSA.
BILANG 129 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1981 BY
PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT AT CONNER,
PROVINCE OF APAYAO AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR.

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

Section 1. Paragraph (b), Section 14, of Batas Pambansa Blg, 129, otherwise known
as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1981, hereby amended to read as follows:

“[Thirty-two] THIRTY-THREE Regional Trial Judges shall be commissioned for
the Second Judicial Region. There shall be:

“ Twelve branches (Branches I to XII) for the province of Cagayan, Branches I to V
with seats at Tuguegarao, Branches VI to X at Aparri; Branch XI.at Tuao, and Branch XII at
Sanchez Mira;

“One branch (Branch XIII) for the province of Batanes, with seat at Basco;

“Two Branches (Branch XIV and XV) for the province of Ifugao, Branch XIV with
seat at Lagawe, and Branch XV at Potia;

“TWO branches for the province of APAYAO with seats at Luna and CONNER;

“Two Branches for the province of Quirino, with seats at Cabarroguis.”

Section 2. The Supreme Court shall effect the renumbering of the branches for the
Province of Apayao.

Section 3. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be
included in the appropriations of the Supreme Court in the Annual Appropriations Act for
the year following its enactment into law and thereafter.

Section 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval

Approved,