Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NDZLS

Introduced by Congressman Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.

Presently, the Judiciary is under fire for the congested or clogged dockets of the lower
courts. The clogged dockets of the courts cause great delay in the disposition of cases. The
following are the main causes the congestions:

1. Lack of judges;

2. Heavy inflow of cases in Metro Manila and other cities; and

3. The use of regular judges as assisting or acting judges which has been proven to be
unproductive because they do not have sufficient time to devote to the cases in vacant
or congested courts since they have their own respective salas to attend to.

The delay in the disposition of cases is precisely what the 1987 Constitution seeks to
avoid. Article III, Section 16 of Constitution provides that “All persons shall have the right to a
speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.”
‘Thus it is imperative that new positions for the Judiciary should be created.

The solution, therefore, is the creation of “Judges-at-Large” positions. These Judges shall
have no permanent sales and can be detailed by the Supreme Court to any court in the
Philippines, as public interest may require.

In view of the foregoing consideration, the approval of this bill is strongly recommended.

LORD ALL. JAY Q. VELASCO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRE
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5215

Introduced by Congressman Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco

AN ACT AMENDING BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
“AN ACT REORGANIZING THE JUDICIARY, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THERFER,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

TO CREATE THE POSITIONS FOR JUDGES-AT-LARGE

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

SECTION 1. Section 14, Chapter II of B.P Blg. 129 is hereby amended to include section (n),
which will be read as follows:

“(n) Fifty (50) positions of Regional Trial Judges-at-Large are created. Said
Judges-at-large shall have no permanent salas and can be detailed by the Supreme
Court as Acting or Assisting Judges to any Regional Trial Court in the
Philippines, as public interest may require. Said judges-at-large are entitled to the
salaries, privileges, allowances, emoluments, benefits, rank and title of a Regional
‘Trial Judge.”

SECTION 2. Section 15, Chapter II of B.P. Blg. 129 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“ Section 15. Qualifications — No person shall be appointed Regional Trial Judge
or Regional Trial Judge-at-large unless he is natural bor citizen of the
Philippines, at least thirty-five years of age, and for at least ten years, has been
engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines or has held a public office in the
Philippines requiring admission to the practice of law as an indispensable
requisite.”


SECTION 3. Section 25, Chapter III of B.P. Blg. 129 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 25. Establishment of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts,
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts and Municipal Trial Judges-at-Large. — There shall
be created a Metropolitan Trial Court in each metropolitan area established by
law, a Municipal Trial Court in each of the other cities or municipalities, and a
Municipal Circuit Trial Court in each circuit compromising such cities and/or
municipalities as are grouped together pursuant to law.

Fifty (50) positions of Municipal Trial Judges-at-Large are created. Said
judges-at-large shall have no permanent salas and can be detailed by the
Supreme Court as Acting or Assisting Judges to any first level court in the
Philippines, as a public interest may require. Said judges-at-large are entitled
to the salaries and all privileges, allowance, emoluments, benefits, rank and
title of a judge of a Municipal Trial Court in Cities.”

SECTION 4. Section 26, Chapter III of B.P. Blg. 129 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 26. Qualifications. — No person shall be appointed judge of a
Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, or Municipal Circuit Trial Court
or a Municipal Trial Judge-at-Large unless he is a natural-born citizen of the
Philippines, at least thirty years of age, and for at least five years, has been
engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines or has held a public office in the
Philippines requiring admission to the practice of law as an indispensable
requisite.”

SECTION 5S. Section 41, Chapter IV of B.P Blg. 129 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 41. Salaries. — Intermediate Appellate Justices, Regional Trial Judges,
Regional Trial Judges-at-Large, Metropolitan Trial Judges, Municipal Circuit
Trial Judges and Municipal Trial Judges-at-Large shall receive such
compensation and allowances as may be authorized by the President along the
guidelines set forth in Letter of Implementation No. 93 pursuant to Presidential
Decree No. 985, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1597.”

Section 6. Section 42, Chapter IV of B.P. blg. 129, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 42. Longevity pay and Displacement Allowance. — A monthly longevity
pay equivalent to 5% of the monthly basic pay shall be paid to the Justices and
Judges of the courts herein created for each five years of continuous, efficient,
and meritorious service rendered in the judiciary: Provided, That in no case shall
the total salary of each Justice or Judge concerned, after this longevity pay is
added, exceed the salary of the Justice or Judge next in rank.


Regional Trial Judges-at-Large and Municipal Trial Judges-at-Large shall
receive displacement allowances, which shall cover their housing, food,
transportation, and other necessary expenses incurred during their detail to
courts which are outside their places of residence. The Displacement
allowances shall be determined by the Supreme Court upon the
recommendation of the Court Administrator and the Plantilla Committee.”

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. — All laws, rules, regulations, orders, memoranda or circulars
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the publication in the
Official Gazette or in any two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,