Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2457
HOUSE BILL NO. 218%

Introduced by: Representative Karlo A. B. Nograles

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Bill seeks to establish one (1) additional branch of the Regional Trial
Court (RTC) in Davao City to be designated by the Supreme Court as additional
Family Court.

Section 2 of the Republic Act NO. 8369, otherwise known as the “Fomily
Courts Act of 1997”, provides in part that “The State recognizes the sanctity of
family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous
social institution. The courts shall preserve the solidarity of the family, provide
procedure for the reconciliation of spouses and the amicable settlement of family

controversy.”

Section 3 of the same Act also provides that “There shall be established a
Family Court in every province and city in the country. In case where the city is the
capital of the province, the Family Court shall be established in the municipality
which has the highest population.”

The result of the census in 2007 showed that among the provinces and
cities in Region XI, Davao City has the highest average annual population growth
rate with 2.41 percent. It has also crossed the million mark as it registered a total
of 1, 363, 337 people or equivalent to 32.8 percent of the region’s total


population. With the rapid growth of population in Davao City, the number of
juvenile and family cases has likewise increased.

Presently, Davao City has three (3) Regional Trial Courts (RTC) designated as
Family Courts. These courts are loaded with numerous cases which clog the
dockets thus making it difficult to resolve cases expeditiously.

The establishment of one (1) additional branch of Regional Trial Court as
Family Court in Davao City will ease the burden of the courts and will certainly
lead to a speedier resolution of juvenile and domestic relations cases.

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

KARLO A. B, NOGRALES


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

215°

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Representative Karlo A. B. Nograles

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING ONE ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT AS
FAMILY COURT IN THE CITY OF DAVAO, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS
PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE JUDICIARY
REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980,” AS AMENDED, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS

THEREOF.
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representative of the Philippines in

Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 14 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 129, otherwise known as
“The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980,” is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Sec. 14. Regional Trial Courts.-

(a) Xxx

XXX XXX XXX


(1) [Forty-one] FORTY TWO Regional Trial Judges shall be
commissioned for the Eleventh Judicial Region. There shall be:

XXX
XXX XXX XXX
[Sixteen] SEVENTEEN braches with seats thereat for the
Province of Davao del Sur and the City of Davao, with seats at
Davao Citty, Digos, Malita and Bansalan;
XXX XXX XXX
SECTION 2. The amount necessary for the effective implementation of this
Act shall be charged to the appropriation for the Supreme Court. Thereafter, such

amount as may be necessary for the continuous implementation of this Act shall
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,