Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________ 
Introduced by: REP. JUAN FIDEL FELIPE F. NOGRALES 
District 4, MONTALBAN, RIZAL 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The principle that justice is guaranteed to all Filipino people, regardless of 
economic standing is enshrined in numerous provisions of the 1987 Philippine 
Constitution: 
1. Article III, Section 11: “Free access to the courts and quasi-judicial bodies
and adequate legal assistance shall not be denied to any person by reason
of poverty.”
2. Article III, Section 16: “All persons shall have the right to a speedy
disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or
administrative bodies.”
Pursuant thereto and to the provisions of Article VIII, Section 5 (5) of the 1987 
Constitution, under its power to adopt and promulgate rules concerning legal 
assistance to the underprivileged, the Supreme Court en banc adopted and 
promulgated A.M. No. 19-03-24-SC Rule 138-A otherwise known as the Revised 
Law Student Practice Rule. 
The Revised Law Student Practice Rule covers the limited practice of law by 
students certified under the Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) of the law 
November 23, 2022
4:00 pm
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school. CLEP is an experiential, interactive and reflective credit-earning teaching 
course with the objectives of providing law students with practical knowledge, 
skills and values necessary for the application of the law, delivery of legal services 
and promotion of social justice and public interest, especially to the 
marginalized, while inculcating in the students the values of ethical lawyering 
and public service. Moreover, a law student, before engaging in the limited 
practice of law via the CLEP, must first apply for and secure a certification issued 
by the Executive Judge of the RTC.  
 
In a similar manner, Republic Act No. 7662 or otherwise known as Legal 
Education Reform Act of 1993, established the Legal Education Board, to oversee 
and provide reforms in legal education. Some of its objectives include preparing 
students for the practice of law and contributing towards the promotion and 
advancement of justice and the improvement of administration, the legal system 
and legal institutions. 
 
Moreover, a baseline study conducted by the Ateneo Human Rights Center and 
Alternative Groups in 2007 found that only thirty-one percent (31%) of law 
schools have legal aid programs in place.  While, four (4) regions – CAR, ARMM 
(now BARMM), and Regions 1 and 2 have none at all.  Further, NCR has the 
highest number of law schools with attached legal aid clinics, e.g., Office of the 
Legal Aid of the University of the Philippines as one of the pioneers of such 
program.  
 
Alongside the revision of the Rule 138-A, the need to institutionalize a 
comprehensive Legal Aid Program, through the creation of Legal Aid Clinics in 
law schools nationwide is imperative.  Such comprehensive Legal Aid Program 
will provide the necessary guidance and supervision of law student practice.   
 
This House Bill seeks to create a comprehensive Legal Aid Program. The 
development of a comprehensive Legal Aid Program for law schools all over the 
Philippines would provide the necessary link to access to justice for the 


marginalized and underprivileged, and the law students who shall be certified 
and qualified to extend legal aid. 
 
Thus, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REP. JUAN FIDEL FELIPE F. NOGRALES    
 District 4, Montalban, Rizal 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________ 
Introduced by: REP. JUAN FIDEL FELIPE F. NOGRALES 
District 4, MONTALBAN, RIZAL 
AN ACT CREATING A COMPPREHENSIVE LEGAL AID POGRAM, 
RATIONALIZING STANDARDS FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED AND 
UNDERSERVED, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. – This Act shall be known as the “Legal Aid 
Program Act of 2022.” 
SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY. – It is the declared policy of the 
State to promote and guarantee free legal assistance to the underprivileged and 
underserved especially in rural areas. 
In order to secure the ends of justice to those who come from low socio-
economic strata of the society, legal aid would serve to support and protect 
people’s rights, to help them access essential legal services and to implement 
and promote the rule of law.  Hence, the development of a legal aid program in 
these law schools is a key element of access to justice for the marginalized sector 
that needs the aid the most. 
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Furthermore, it is the policy of the State to uplift the standards of legal 
education in order to prepare law students for advocacy, counselling, problem-
solving, and decision-making, to infuse in them the ethics of the legal profession; 
to impress on them the importance, nobility and dignity of the legal profession 
as an equal and indispensable partner of the Bench in the administration of 
justice and to develop social competence.  
 
Towards this end, the State shall undertake appropriate reforms in the legal 
education system, including requiring legal apprenticeships and law student 
practice through legal aid clinics.  
 
SECTION 3. OBJECTIVES. – It shall be the policy of the State to undertake, 
in cooperation with all the respective law schools, a comprehensive and 
continuing Legal Aid Program, which shall: 
 
a. Uplift the conditions of the underprivileged and undeserved, in a 
sectoral approach; 
b. Provide for the rational delivery of legal services; 
c. Adopt workable policies to regulate and direct urban growth and 
expansion towards a dispersed urban-rural interdependence; 
d. Provide for an equitable program that shall guarantee the delivery of 
legal services; 
e. Encourage more effective people’s participation in the developing 
legal services process; and 
f. Improve the capability of all law schools in undertaking the delivery 
and development of such legal services. 
 
SECTION 4. COVERAGE. – The provisions of this Act shall apply to all 
public or private law schools, upon the determination of the LEB in accordance 
with Section 9 of this Act. 


SECTION 5. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. – The Legal 
Education Board (LEB), under the direction of the Supreme Court (SC), and in 
coordination with Department of Justice (DOJ) and Local Government Units 
(LGUs), Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Philippine Association of Law 
Schools (PALS), Association of Law Student in the Philippines (ALSP), Office of 
the Legal Aid (OLA) of the University of the Philippines (UP), International Pro 
Bono Alliance, civil society organizations and other stakeholders, shall establish 
a comprehensive Legal Aid Program within six (6) months from effectivity of 
this Act, and to be implemented in the next academic school year. The same 
comprehensive Legal Aid Program shall similarly serve as the necessary rules 
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
 
The Legal Aid Program shall refer to the comprehensive plan for the creation 
of Legal Aid Clinic in law schools that shall work towards achieving such noble 
objectives of the Program; Provided, that it shall aim to strengthen and support 
A.M. No. 19-03-24-SC Rule 138-A Law Student Practice, otherwise known as the 
Revised Law Student Practice Rule. 
 
The Legal Aid Clinic in law schools shall provide free legal assistance to 
indigent clients, with priority to clients that belong to sectors with the highest 
prevalence of need for each locality.  
 
In the creation of this Program, a review and rationalization of the legal 
services, standards and guidelines, and all other objectives and activities of all 
agencies and sectors involved which shall substantially affect the entire populace 
shall be undertaken with the concurrence of the LGUs concerned. 
 
SECTION 6. APPEARANCE. – The appearance of the law student shall be 
upon conditions provided for under the Revised Law Student Practice Rule; 
Provided, That it shall be under the direct supervision and control of a member 
of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines duly accredited by the law school. 


SECTION 7. PRIVILEGED SERVICES. – The Rules safeguarding privileged 
communications between the attorney and client shall similarly apply to 
communications made to or received by the law student, acting for the legal aid 
clinic. 
 
SECTION 8. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND REGULATION. – The law 
student shall comply with the standards provided for in the Revised Law Student 
Practice Rule. 
 
Failure of an attorney to provide adequate supervision of students practice 
may be a ground for disciplinary actions by the Supreme Court pursuant to Rule 
138 of the Rules of Court. 
 
SECTION 9. LEGAL AID PROGRAM IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS. – The LEB 
shall conduct a study and recommend to Congress the feasibility of the conduct 
of a Legal Aid Program in private law schools.  Should the LEB determine, after 
study, it shall recommend to Congress the establishment of a nationwide 
implementation of a Legal Aid Program: Provided, That the study shall be 
conducted within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SECTION 10. PERIODIC REPORTS. – The LEB shall submit periodic 
reports on the implementation of this Act at the end of the third year from the 
date of its effectivity and every year thereafter; Provided further, that the LEB 
shall likewise submit its findings and make recommendations on actions to be 
taken by Congress and Senate and the appropriate department.   
SECTION 11. APPROPRIATION – The initial amount necessary for the 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriation of 
the LEB: Provided, that such sums necessary for the continued implementation 
of this Act shall be taken from the Legal Education Fund, as provided in Republic 
Act No. 7662: Provided further, that State universities and colleges affected by 


this Act shall include in the annual General Appropriations Act thereof for the 
continued implementation of this Act.  
SECTION 12. REPEALING CLAUSE. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 13. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. – If, for any reason, any section or 
provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or 
provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby. 
SECTION 14. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. – This Act shall take effect after 
fifteen (15) days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in any national 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved.