Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. 2925

Introduced by: REP. TOBIAS “TOBY” M. TIANGCO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill provides for the establishment of the three (3) additional branches of
the Regional Trial Court and two (2) additional branches of the Metropolitan Trial
Court in the National Capital Judicial Region to be created and stationed in the city of
Navotas, Metro Manila hereby amending Batas Pambansa Big. 129 otherwise known
as Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980 and for the appropriation of funds of their
operationalization.

Pursuant to Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution, “All persons shall have the
right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or
administrative bodies. As observed by then Justice Antonio T. Carpio, to achieve this
“the number of courts in a locality must follow a judge to population ratio.” Navotas
City has a population of 247,543 residents. There are currently four (4) Regional
Trial Courts and three (3) Metropolitan Trial Courts in the City of Navotas. This
means that there is one (1) Regional Trial Court Judge for every 61,885 residents
and one (1) MTC Judge per 82,514 residents. This means that there are “no enough
courts to meet the society's needs.” According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, a
judge would usually have a huge “average annual workload of 644 cases.”

Hence, there is a compelling need in order to give meaning to the
Constitutional provision in providing speedy disposition of cases by creating
additional branches of Regional Trial Courts and Metropolitan Trial Courts in the City
of Navotas.

The proposed bill was filed during the 18" Congress and the same was
passed on the third and final reading in the House of Representatives as House Bill
No. 10067 and was transmitted to the Senate for its consideration.

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

a
TOBIAS “TOBY” M. TIANGCO~
Representative
Lone District Navotas City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo, 2929

Introduced by: REP. TOBIAS “TOBY” M. TIANGCO

AN ACT
CREATING ADDITIONAL THREE (3) BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL
COURT AND TWO (2) BRANCHES OF THE METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT TO
BE STATIONED AT NAVOTAS CITY, METRO MANILA AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH D OF BP 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
“THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AS AMENDED AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Three (3) additional branches of Regional Trial Court and two (2)
additional branches of Metropolitan Trial Court are hereby created in the National
Capital Judicial Region, to be seated at Navotas City, Metro Manila.

SEC. 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the
Secretary of the Department of Justice shall immediately include in the Courts
program the operationalization of three (3) additional branches of the Regional Trial
Court and two (2) additional branches of the Metropolitan Trial Court to be stationed
in Navotas City, Metro Manila, the funding which shall be included in the Annual
General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 3. Sections 14, paragraph (d) and Section 27 of Batas Pambansa Big.
129, otherwise known as the “Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980" as amended,
are hereby amended accordingly.

SEC. 4. The Supreme Court shall issue the necessary rules and regulations
for the effective implementation of this Act and if warranted, the realignment of the
seats of existing branches and their territorial jurisdictions.

SEC. 5. Effectivity. —This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.