Republic of the Philippines
House of Re;
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 4044

Introduced by Honorable Dale “Along” R. Malapitan

Explanatory Note

This bill seeks to create four (4) additional Regional Trial Court
branches in Caloocan City, Metro Manila. The proposed measure aims to
hasten the handling and disposition of cases in compliance with Section 16,
Article Ill of the 1987 Constitution which provides for the speedy disposition
of cases.

At present, there are thirteen Regional Trial Court branches in Caloocan
City which already include a newly organized branch. These branches are
experiencing severe backlog in the disposition of cases pending before them
due to their sheer limited number and inadequacy of resources. This fact has
led to the delay in the administration of justice.

Following information from the Office of the Court Administrator, that
as of June 2016, a total of 5,762.9 cases or an average of 523 cases, are
pending before the twelve branches alone. And, taking into consideration the
fast-growing population of the city and the sudden increase of criminal cases
in the light of the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs, it becomes
apparent that the number of RTC branches in this city is exceedingly
deficient.

The creation of four additional branches will help in the unclogging as
well as decreasing the number of caseloads of the existing RTC branches in
Caloocan City. Four new branches will indubitably allow the attainment of the
identified manageable caseload 300 cases as assessed by the Office of the
Court Administrator.

It may be noteworthy to mention that a bill which provides for the same
effect was filed during the 5'* Congress. The same passed the approval of the
House of Representatives on third reading and was transmitted to the Senate
in February 2013. Unfortunately, the Upper Chamber failed to act on said
proposed measure before the expiration of term,


Every citizen is given the right to speedy disposition of case. But, with
the situation prevailing in Caloocan City, this vested right of litigants is
practically being denied. Thus, the immediate consideration and approval of
this bill is highly recommended.

HON. DALE Le Thabg


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. AG 44

Introduced by Honorable Dale “Along” R. Malapitan

AN ACT
CREATING FOUR ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL
TRIAL COURT IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION TO
BE STATIONED IN THE CITY OF CALOOCAN, METRO MANILA,
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. Four (4) additional branches of the Regional Trial Court
are hereby created in the National Capital Judicial Region to be stationed in
the City of Caloocan, Metro Manila, with seats at Caloocan City North.

SECTION 2. The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch
numbers for the newly created branches of the Regional Trial Court in the
National Capital Judicial Region.

SECTION 3. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination
with the Secretary of the Department of Justice, shall immediately include in
the Court’s program the implementation of this Act. The funding therefor
shall likewise be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 4. Section 14 (a) of Batas Pambansa Bilang 129, otherwise
known as the “The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980,” as amended, as well
as other provisions that may be inconsistent herewith, are hereby deemed
repealed, modified, and/or further amended.

SECTION 5. 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,