Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3770

Introduced by Hon. GABRIEL LUIS R. QUISUMBING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Our 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article III, Section 16 provides: “All persons shall
have the right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or
administrative bodies.”

As legal luminaries put it: “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Proper and prompt attention is urgently needed to address the deplorable condition of
the Regional Trial Courts of Mandaue City, Province of Cebu which carries case loads way
beyond their capacity.

Ordinary party-litigants, mostly coming from below average income class, suffer
heavily due to the snail-paced conduct of the judicial process. A resetting or postponement of
the hearing of their cases would mean that the litigants have to wait at least four (4) to six (6)
months,

Because of the volume of cases, the wheels of justice indeed grind to a halt. It is an
expensive process and sometimes, a vain effort, especially when some litigants predecease the
outcome of their cases when appealed to the Court of Appeals and finally to the Supreme
Court.

In recent years, with the boom in its economic activity and growth, the Province of
Cebu including Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan and Compostela, have witnessed an
increase in domestic migration.

The creation of additional courts is necessary to realize the Constitutional principle on
accessibility and effective delivery of justice. Hence approval ofthis bill is earnestly sought.

GABRIPL LUIS R. QUISUMBING


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo,__87'70_

Introduced by Hon. GABRIEL LUIS R. QUISUMBING

AN ACT CREATING THREE (3) ADDITIONAL REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS IN MANDAUE.
CITY FURTHER AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 129,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS-"THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT
OF 1980," AS AMENDED, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1, Three (3) additional Regional Trial Court branches for Mandaue City, with seats
thereat, are hereby created in the Seventh Judicial Region

SECTION 2, The Supreme Court shall assign the branch numbers for the newly created branches.
SECTION 3, Accordingly, Section 14(h) of Batas Pambansa Bilang 129, otherwise known as, "The

Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980", as amended, as well as other provisions that may be
inconsistent herewith, is hereby deemed repealed, modified and/or further amended

SECTION 4. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the Secretary of the
Department of Justice, shall immediately include, as may be determined on a priority basis, in the
Court's program the implementation of this Act. The funding therefore shall likewise be included in
the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 5. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after completion of its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation,

Approved,