FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No. 2800

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Legal aid is not a matter of charity. It is a means for the correction of
social imbalances that may often lead to injustice, for which reason, it is a
public responsibility of the Bar. The spirit of public service should therefore
underlie all legal aid offices. The same should be so administered as to give
maximum possible assistance to indigent and deserving members of the
community in all matters and situations in which legal aid may be necessary to
forestall injustice.

In order to attain the objectives of legal aid, legal aid office should be as
close as possible to those who are in need thereof — the masses. Hence, every
chapter of the Integrated Bar of The Philippines (IBP) must establish and
operate an adequate legal aid office. The clients of IBP Legal Aid are qualified
under the same indigency and merits tests used by the Public Attorneys’ Office
(PAO), and would have qualified for PAO assistance, but for reasons other than
indigency, are disqualified from availing of the services of the PAO, like the
existence of conflict of interests or conflicting defenses and other similar
causes. However, unlike PAO clients, the clients of IBP Legal aid are not
exempt from payment of docket fees and other fees incidental to instituting an
action in court.

This bill seeks to exempt IBP Legal Aid clients from payment of docket
fees and other fees incidental to instituting an action in courts and other
agencies considering that they are also indigent.

In view thereof, immediate approval of this Bill is sought.

RUFU$ B. RODRIGUEZ

(a

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

2800

House Bill No.

AN ACT
MAKING IBP LEGAL AID CLIENTS EXEMPT FROM PAYMENT OF DOCKET
FEES AND OTHER FEES

Section 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is the declared policy of the State
to give maximum possible assistance to indigent and deserving members of the
‘community in all matters and situations in which legal aid may be necessary to
forestall injustice.

Section 2. IBP Legal Aid Clients Exempt from Payment of Docket
and Other Fees. - All clients of Integrated Bar of the Philippines Legal Aid
Offices shall be exempt from payment of docket, filing and other fees in cases
before the courts, quasi-judicial agencies, prosecutor's offices and mediation
centers.

Section 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The integrated Bar
of the Philippines shall promulgate the rules and regulations for the effective
enforcement of the provisions of this Act.

Section 4, Separability Clause. — Should any provision of this Act or
any part thereof be declared invalid, the other provisions, so far as they are
separable from the invalid ones, shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 5. Repealing Clause. - All |aws, orders, issuances, rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

Section 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,