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House BILL No. 1448

Introduced by the Honorable ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 5, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides that the maintenance of
peace and order, the protection of life and liberty and property and the promotion of
the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings
of the democracy. This constitutional mandate is largely grounded on an independent
and fearless judiciary, as it is the adjudicator of legal disputes. As such, there is a need
to protect the welfare of members of the judiciary.

This bill seeks to grant a tax-exempt hazard pay to judges of Municipal Trial
Courts (MTC), Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTC), Municipal Trial Courts in Cities
(MCTC), Municia! Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC), Shari’a Courts, and Regional Trial Court
(RTC) equivalent to twenty percent (20%) to thirty percent (30%) of their monthly
salaries during their incumbency.

Being a democracy, the Philippines should ensure the application and
promotion of the rule of law, rooted in an independent judiciary. Pursuant to this, the
State must adopt measures to guarantee the independence of the judiciary to
guarantee the impartial administration of justice, as well as an effective and efficient
system worthy of public trust and confidence. News reports of killings of members of
the judiciary abound, Congress should not turn a blind eye on this matter as it may
diminish the confidence of our judges. The payment of a hazard pay aims to boost the
morale of judges and enhance their independence in the dispensation of justice.

For the Filipino people, the approval of the foregoing bill is earnestly being

sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
TWENTIETH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by the Honorable ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO

(AN ACT MANDATING THE PAYMENT OF HAZARD PAY TO
ALL JUDGES OF COURTS IN THE PHILIPPINES,
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Hazard Pay for Judges
Act’:

SECTION 2. All duly appointed judges in Regional Trial Courts (RTC) shall be granted
a hazard pay during their incumbency in the amount equivalent to thirty percent
(30%) of their basic monthly salary.

SECTION 3. All duly appointed judges in the Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTC),
Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MCTC), Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC), and
Shari’a Courts shall be granted a hazard pay during their incumbency in the amount
equivalent to twenty five percent (25%) of their basic monthly salary.

SECTION 4. All duly appointed judges in Municipal Trial Courts (MTC) shall be granted
a hazard pay during their incumbency in the amount equivalent to twenty percent
(20%) of their basic monthly salary.

SECTION 5. The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be
charged against the available appropriations of the Judiciary under the current General
Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sums as maybe necessary for its continued
implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.


SECTION 6. The hazard pay for the judges herein shall not be subject to tax and
nothing in this Act shall be construed as to diminish in any manner, any benefit granted
by existing laws, rules and regulations, local ordinances, and other issuances especially
favorable to duly appointed judges of Philippine courts.

SECTION 7. The Department of Budget and Management in consultation with the
Judiciary shall, within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, issue the
implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

SECTION 8. Any provisions, laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed and modified
accordingly.

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,