1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative 
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Since its promulgation in 1978, the Katarungang Pambarangay provides for local 
disputes which fall under its jurisdiction to be resolved through mediation, conciliation 
or arbitration. Presidential Decree No. 1508 or the Katarungang Pambarangay Law, 
which was repealed by Sections 399 to 422 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known 
as the Local Government Code of 1991, and Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 
14-93, seeks to establish a system of amicably settling disputes among people at the
barangay level. It aims to promote the speedy, cost-efficient, and quality justice 
through non-adversarial processes.  
The Katarungang Pambarangay, however, has not been maximized primarily due to 
lack of information on how it should operate. The community, especially those 
belonging in the grassroot sectors are not knowledgeable about the barangay justice 
system and its functions.  Likewise, many Lupon and Pangkat barangay members are 
not aware of their roles, duties and responsibilities due to the lack of training and limited 
opportunities for continuing education. There is a need, therefore, to expand the 
Katarungang Pambarangay and train its members with the necessary skills needed in 
various alternate dispute resolutions to effectively and efficiently address each case 
October 28, 2021
12:25 am
10413


2 
raised before them. This proposed measure seeks to strengthen the Katarungang 
Pambarangay of Republic Act No. 7160 by institutionalizing the training of barangay 
justice workers to ensure that they are highly competent, efficient and objective in the 
speedy administration of justice at the barangay level.  
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
Representative 
Magdalo Para Sa Pilipino Party-List 


3 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative 
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
AN ACT 
EXPANDING AND MODERNIZING THE KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY AND 
STRENGTHENING SUPPORT FOR THE BARANGAY JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ITS 
WORKERS 
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 and cited as the "Barangay 
1 
Justice System Act". 
2 
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy.— It is the policy of the State to ensure that justice, 
4 
in its most tangible and immediate sense, is made easily accessible to all its citizens. 
5 
The State recognizes that there is a need to further strengthen and modernize the 
6 
government services aimed at providing access to justice at the barangay level– the 
7 
level of government which is most immediately accessible to Filipino citizens. 
8 
9 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms.– For the purposes of this Act, the following shall 
10 
mean: 
11 
10413


4 
 
(a) Barangay Justice Worker refers to a person who renders barangay justice 
1 
services in the barangay level after having been accredited to function as 
2 
such by the Department of Justice (hereinafter referred to as the "DOJ"), 
3 
in accordance with the DOJ's promulgated guidelines; 
4 
(b) Barangay Justice Advisory Center refers to the office that is established in 
5 
order to be an information and advice center that may be approached by 
6 
barangay residents for preliminary inquiries regarding possible initiation of 
7 
or defense against existing legal action; 
8 
(c) Barangay Concillation Board otherwise referred to as "conciliation board", 
9 
refers to the body of individuals that exercises administrative supervision 
10 
over conciliation and conciliation panels at the barangay level; and 
11 
(d) Barangay Concillation Panel, also referred to as "conciliation panel", refers 
12 
to the conciliation panel chosen by the parties to the dispute from the list 
13 
of members of the conciliation board. 
14 
 
15 
Sec. 4. Barangay Justice Worker.– For a person to be eligible for registration 
16 
and accreditation as a Barangay Justice Worker with the DOJ, he must be a Filipino 
17 
citizen of legal age, is a college degree graduate, must have undergone and 
18 
successfully completed the Barangay Justice Training Program provided by the DOJ, 
19 
in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and is 
20 
found to be a person of integrity, impartiality, independence of mind, sense of 
21 
fairness, and reputation for probity. 
22 
 
23 
Sec. 5. Barangay Justice Training Program.— In coordination with the DILG, 
24 
the DOJ shall formulate and administer a training program to be known as the 
25 
Barangay Justice Training Program, for all prospective Barangay Justice Workers 
26 
consisting of not less than eighty (80) hours of training, including, but not limited to, 
27 
lectures on basic civil and criminal procedure, rules of evidence, arbitration and 
28 
dispute resolution, as well as relevant substantive laws such as family law, property 
29 
law and criminal law. 
30 
 
31 


5 
 
Sec. 6. Mandatory Continuing Barangay Justice Education.– The DOJ, in 
1 
coordination with the DILG, shall likewise formulate and administer a continuing 
2 
mandatory education program for Barangay Justice Workers consisting of sixteen (16) 
3 
hours of lectures on relevant legal topics; provided, that such sixteen (16) hours of 
4 
lectures shall be attended by each Barangay Justice Worker every three years, 
5 
including the year immediately after the year of registration of said Barangay Justice 
6 
Worker. 
7 
 
8 
Sec. 7. Assignment of Barangay Justice Workers to Barangays.– The DOJ shall 
9 
likewise devise a system of assigning registered Barangay Justice Workers to specific 
10 
barangay. In assigning such Barangay Justice Workers, the DOJ shall take into 
11 
consideration and ensure that Barangay Justice Workers actually residing in a 
12 
barangay are assigned thereto, or failing such, are assigned to the city or municipality 
13 
or residence, or further failing such, are assigned to the city, municipality, or barangay 
14 
closest to their actual place of residence. The DOJ shall ensure that at least six (6) 
15 
but not more than twelve (12) Barangay Justice Workers shall be assigned for each 
16 
barangay. 
17 
 
18 
Sec. 8. Functions of the Barangay Justice Worker.— A Barangay Justice Worker 
19 
shall — 
20 
(a) 
Perform functions as part of the Barangay Justice Advisory Center as 
21 
defined hereunder; and 
22 
(b) 
Sit as a member of the Barangay Conciliation Board and perform the 
23 
functions therein as defined hereunder. 
24 
 
25 
Sec. 9. Barangay Justice Advisory Center.— It is hereby created in each 
26 
barangay a Barangay Justice Advisory Center which is composed of all the Barangay 
27 
Justice Workers currently assigned in the barangay. 
28 
 
29 
Sec. 10. Functions of the Barangay Justice Advisory Center.— The Barangay 
30 
Justice Advisory Center shall — 
31 


6 
 
(a) 
Entertain queries from barangay residents regarding basic legal 
1 
questions of rights and obligations, especially in relation to the barangay 
2 
and their coresidents; 
3 
(b) 
Advise barangay residents regarding possible avenues of legal action 
4 
and the applicability and/or necessity of undergoing conciliation under 
5 
the Conciliation board; and 
6 
(c) 
Officially refer inquiring barangay residents to proper legal offices such 
7 
as, but not limited to, the City Prosecutor's Office, Public Attorney's 
8 
Office, the local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, or the 
9 
NLRC's Single Entry Assistance Desk (SEAD), depending on the assessed 
10 
legal need of such resident. 
11 
 
12 
Sec. 11. Barangay Conciliation Board.— The conciliation board is composed of 
13 
the punong barangay, as chairman and the Barangay Justice Workers assigned to the 
14 
barangay as members. The conciliation board is a standing body that continuously 
15 
exists, with only the punong barangay, as chairman, being replaced every time a new 
16 
one is duly elected. 
17 
 
18 
In barangays where majority of the inhabitants are members of indigenous 
19 
cultural communities, local systems of settling disputes through their councils of datus 
20 
or elders shall be recognized without prejudice to the applicable provisions of this 
21 
law. 
22 
 
23 
Sec. 12. Functions of the Barangay Conciliation Board. — The conciliation board 
24 
shall: 
25 
(a) 
Exercise administrative supervision over the conciliation panels provided 
26 
herein; 
27 
(b) 
Meet regularly once a month to provide a forum for exchange of ideas 
28 
among its members and the public on matters relevant to the amicable 
29 
settlement of disputes, and to enable various conciliation panel 
30 
members to share with one another their observations and experiences 
31 
in effecting speedy resolution of disputes; and 
32 


7 
 
(c) 
Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions 
1 
as may be prescribed by law or ordinance. 
2 
 
3 
Sec. 13. Secretary of the Conciliation Board.– The barangay secretary shall 
4 
concurrently serve as the secretary of the conciliation board. The secretary shall 
5 
record the results of mediation proceedings before the punong barangay and shall 
6 
submit a report thereon to the proper city or municipal courts. He shall also receive 
7 
and keep the records of proceedings submitted to him by the various conciliation 
8 
panels. 
9 
 
10 
Sec. 14. Barangay Conciliation Panel.— 
11 
(a) 
There shall be constituted for each dispute brought before the 
12 
conciliation board a conciliation panel, consisting of three (3) members 
13 
who shall be chosen by the parties to the dispute from the list of 
14 
members of the conciliation board. Should the parties fail to agree on 
15 
the conciliation panel membership, the same shall be determined by lots 
16 
drawn by the conciliation board chairman; 
17 
(b) 
The three (3) members constituting the conciliation panel shall elect 
18 
from among themselves the panel chairman and the panel secretary. 
19 
The panel secretary shall prepare the minutes of the conciliation panel 
20 
proceedings and submit a copy duly attested to by the chairman to the 
21 
conciliation board secretary and to the proper city or municipal court. 
22 
He shall issue and cause to be served notices to the parties concerned; 
23 
and 
24 
(c) 
Subject to RA 10173, or the "Data Privacy Act," the conciliation board 
25 
secretary shall issue certified true copies of any public record in his 
26 
custody that is not by law otherwise declared confidential. 
27 
 
28 
Sec. 15. Vacancies in the Barangay Conciliation Panel.— Any vacancy in the 
29 
conciliation panel shall be chosen by the parties to the dispute from among the other 
30 
conciliation board members. Should the parties fail to agree on a common choice, the 
31 
vacancy shall be filled by lot to be drawn by the conciliation board chairman. 
32 


8 
 
 
1 
Sec. 16. Character of Office of Barangay Conciliation Board Members.— The 
2 
conciliation board members, while in the performance of their official duties or on the 
3 
occasion thereof, shall be deemed as persons in authority, as defined in the Revised 
4 
Penal Code. 
5 
 
6 
Sec. 17. Legal Advice on Matters Involving Questions of Law.– The provincial, 
7 
city legal officer or prosecutor or the municipal legal officer shall render legal advice 
8 
on matters involving questions of law to the punong barangay or any conciliation 
9 
board or conciliation panel member whenever necessary in the exercise of his 
10 
functions under this Act. 
11 
 
12 
Sec. 18. Subject Matter for Amicable Settlement; Exceptions Thereto.— The 
13 
conciliation board of each barangay shall have authority to bring together the parties 
14 
actually residing in the same city or municipality for amicable settlement of all disputes 
15 
except: 
16 
(a) 
Where one party is the government, or any subdivision or 
17 
instrumentality thereof; 
18 
(b) 
Where one party is a public officer or employee, and the dispute relates 
19 
to the performance of his official functions; 
20 
(c) 
Offenses punishable by imprisonment exceeding one (1) year or a fine 
21 
exceeding Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00); 
22 
(d) 
Offenses where there is no private offended party; 
23 
(e) 
Where the dispute involves real properties located in different cities or 
24 
municipalities unless the parties thereto agree to submit their 
25 
differences to amicable settlement by an appropriate conciliation board; 
26 
(f) 
Disputes involving parties who actually reside in barangays of different 
27 
cities or municipalities, except where such barangay units adjoin each 
28 
other and the parties thereto agree to submit their differences to 
29 
amicable settlement by an appropriate conciliation board; and 
30 


9 
 
(g) 
Such other classes of disputes which the President may determine in 
1 
the interest of justice or upon the recommendation of the Secretary of 
2 
Justice. 
3 
 
4 
The court in which non-criminal cases not falling within the authority of the 
5 
conciliation board under this Code are filed may, at any time before trial, motu proprio 
6 
refer the case to the conciliation board concerned for amicable settlement. 
7 
 
8 
Sec. 19. Venue for Amicable Settlement.— 
9 
(a) 
Disputes between persons actually residing in the same barangay shall 
10 
be brought for amicable settlement before the conciliation board of said 
11 
barangay; 
12 
(b) 
Those involving actual residents of different barangays within the same 
13 
city or municipality shall be brought in the barangay where the 
14 
respondent or any of the respondents actually resides, at the election 
15 
of the complainant; 
16 
(c) 
All disputes involving real property or any interest therein shall be 
17 
brought in the barangay where the real property or the larger portion 
18 
thereof is situated; and 
19 
(d) 
Those arising at the workplace where the contending parties are 
20 
employed or at the institution where such parties are enrolled for study, 
21 
shall be brought in the barangay where such workplace or institution is 
22 
located. 
23 
 
24 
Objections to venue shall be raised in the mediation proceedings before the 
25 
punong barangay; otherwise, the same shall be deemed waived. Any legal question 
26 
which may confront the punong barangay in resolving objections to venue herein 
27 
referred to may be submitted to the Secretary of Justice or his duly designated 
28 
representative, whose ruling thereon shall be binding. 
29 
 
30 
Sec. 20. Procedure for Amicable Settlement.— 
31 


10 
 
(a) 
Who may initiate proceeding - Upon payment of the appropriate filing 
1 
fee, any individual who has a cause of action against another individual 
2 
involving any matter within the authority of the conciliation board may 
3 
complain, orally or in writing, to the conciliation board chairman of the 
4 
barangay. 
5 
(b) 
Mediation by conciliation board chairman — Upon receipt of the 
6 
complaint, the conciliation board chairman shall, within the next working 
7 
day, summon the respondent(s), with notice to the complainant(s) for 
8 
them and their witnesses to appear before him for a mediation of their 
9 
conflicting interests. If he fails in his mediation effort within fifteen (15) 
10 
days from the first meeting of the parties before him, he shall forthwith 
11 
set a date for the constitution of the conciliation panel in accordance 
12 
with the provisions of this Chapter. 
13 
(c) 
Suspension of prescriptive period of offenses — While the dispute is 
14 
under mediation, conciliation, or arbitration, the prescriptive periods for 
15 
offenses  and cause of action under existing laws shall be interrupted 
16 
upon filing of the complaint with the punong barangay. The prescriptive 
17 
periods shall resume upon receipt by the complainant of the complaint 
18 
or the certificate of repudiation or of the certification to file action issued 
19 
by the conciliation board or conciliation panel secretary: Provided, 
20 
however, That such interruption shall not exceed sixty (60) days from 
21 
the filing of the complaint with the punong barangay. 
22 
(d) 
Issuance of summons; hearing; grounds for disqualification — The 
23 
conciliation panel shall convene not later than three (3) working days 
24 
from its constitution, on the day and hour set by the conciliation board 
25 
chairman, to hear both parties and their witnesses, simplify issues, and 
26 
explore all possibilities for amicable settlement. For this purpose, the 
27 
conciliation panel may issue summons for the personal appearance of 
28 
parties and witnesses before it. In the event that a party moves to 
29 
disqualify any member of the conciliation panel by reason of 
30 
relationship, bias, interest, or any other similar grounds discovered after 
31 
the constitution of the conciliation panel, the matter shall be resolved 
32 


11 
 
by the affirmative vote of the majority of the conciliation panel whose 
1 
decision shall be final. Should disqualification be decided upon, the 
2 
resulting vacancy shall be filled as herein provided for. 
3 
(e) 
Period to arrive at a settlement — The conciliation panel shall arrive at 
4 
a settlement or resolution of the dispute within thirty (30) days from the 
5 
day it convenes in accordance with this section. This period shall, at the 
6 
discretion of the conciliation panel, be extendible for another period 
7 
which shall not exceed thirty (30) days, except in clearly meritorious 
8 
cases. 
9 
 
10 
Sec. 21. Form of Settlement.— All amicable settlements shall be in writing, in 
11 
a language or dialect known to the parties, signed by them, and attested to by the 
12 
conciliation board chairman or the conciliation panel chairman, as the case may be. 
13 
When the parties to the dispute do not use the same language or dialect, the 
14 
settlement shall be written in the language known to them. 
15 
 
16 
Sec. 22. Conciliation.–  
17 
(a) 
Pre-condition to Filing of Complaint in Court. — No complaint, petition, 
18 
action, or proceeding involving any matter within the authority of the 
19 
conciliation board shall be filed or instituted directly in court or any other 
20 
government office for adjudication, unless there has been a 
21 
confrontation between the parties before the conciliation board 
22 
chairman or the conciliation panel, and that no conciliation or settlement 
23 
has been reached as certified by the conciliation board secretary or 
24 
conciliation panel secretary as attested to by the conciliation board or 
25 
conciliation panel chairman or unless the settlement has been 
26 
repudiated parties thereto; 
27 
(b) 
Where Parties May Go Directly to Court. — The parties may go directly 
28 
to court in the following instances: 
29 
(1) 
Where the accused is under detention; 
30 
 
31 


12 
 
(2) 
Where a person has otherwise been deprived of personal liberty 
1 
calling for habeas corpus proceedings; 
2 
(3) 
Where actions are coupled with provisional remedies such as 
3 
preliminary injunction, attachment, delivery of personal property 
4 
and support pendente lite; and 
5 
(4) 
Where the action may otherwise be barred by the statute of 
6 
limitations. 
7 
(c) 
Conciliation Among Members of Indigenous Cultural Communities. — 
8 
"Ihe customs and traditions of indigenous cultural communities shall be 
9 
applied in settling disputes between members of the cultural 
10 
communities. 
11 
 
12 
Sec. 23. Certification for Filing.— The certification for filing a complaint in court 
13 
or any government office shall be issued as follows: 
14 
(a) 
Issued by the conciliation board secretary and attested by the 
15 
conciliation board chairman (punong barangay), certifying that a 
16 
confrontation of the parties has taken place and that a conciliation 
17 
settlement has been reached, but the same has been subsequently 
18 
repudiated; 
19 
(b) 
Issued by the panel secretary and attested by the panel chairman 
20 
certifying that: 
21 
(1) a 
confrontation 
of 
the 
parties 
took 
place 
but 
no 
22 
conciliation/settlement has been reached; or 
23 
(2) that no personal confrontation took place before the conciliation 
24 
panel through no fault of the complainant. 
25 
(c) 
Issued by the punong barangay as requested by the proper party on 
26 
the ground of failure of settlement where the dispute involves members 
27 
of the same indigenous cultural community, which shall be settled in 
28 
accordance with the customs and traditions of that particular cultural 
29 
community, or where one or more of the parties to the aforesaid dispute 
30 
belong to the minority and the parties mutually agreed to submit their 
31 
dispute to the indigenous system of amicable settlement, and there has 
32 


13 
 
been no settlement as certified by the datu or tribal leader or elder to 
1 
the punong barangay of place of settlement; and 
2 
(d) 
If mediation or conciliation efforts before the punong barangay proved 
3 
unsuccessful, there having been no agreement to arbitrate, or where 
4 
the respondent fails to appear at the mediation proceeding, the punong 
5 
barangay shall not cause the issuance at this stage of a certification to 
6 
file action, because it is mandatory for him to constitute the conciliation 
7 
panel before whom mediation, conciliation, or arbitration proceedings 
8 
shall be held. 
9 
 
10 
Sec. 24. Arbitration.–  
11 
(a) 
 The parties may, at any stage of the proceedings, agree in writing that 
12 
they shall abide by the arbitration award of the conciliation board 
13 
chairman or the conciliation panel. Such agreement to arbitrate may be 
14 
repudiated within five (5) days from the date thereof for the same 
15 
grounds and in accordance with the procedure hereinafter prescribed. 
16 
The arbitration award shall be made after the lapse of the period for 
17 
repudiation and within ten (10) days thereafter; and 
18 
(b) 
The arbitration award shall be in writing in a language or dialect known 
19 
to the parties. When the parties to the dispute do not use the same 
20 
language or dialect, the award shall be written in the language or dialect 
21 
known to them. 
22 
 
23 
Sec. 25. Proceedings Open to the Public; Exception.— All proceedings for 
24 
settlement shall be public and informal: Provided, however, That the conciliation 
25 
board chairman or the conciliation panel chairman, as the case may be, may motu 
26 
proprio or upon request of a party, exclude the public from the proceedings in the 
27 
interest of privacy, decency, or public morals. 
28 
 
29 
SEC. 26. Appearance of Parties in Person. — In all barangay conciliation 
30 
proceedings, the parties must appear in person without the assistance of counsel or 
31 


14 
 
representative, except for minors and incompetents who may be assisted by their 
1 
next-of-kin who are not lawyers. 
2 
 
3 
Sec. 27. Effect of Amicable Settlement and Arbitration Award.— The amicable 
4 
settlement and arbitration award shall have the force and effect of a final judgment 
5 
of a court upon the expiration of ten (10) days from the date thereof, unless 
6 
repudiation of the settlement has been made or a petition to nullify the award has 
7 
been filed before the proper city or municipal court. 
8 
 
9 
However, this provision shall not apply to court cases settled by the conciliation 
10 
board under the last paragraph of Section 18 of this law, in which case the 
11 
compromise settlement agreed upon by the parties before the conciliation board 
12 
chairman or the conciliation panel chairman shall be submitted to the court and upon 
13 
approval thereof, have the force and effect of a judgment of said court. 
14 
 
15 
Sec. 28. Execution.— The amicable settlement or arbitration award may be 
16 
enforced by execution conciliation board within six (6) months from the date of the 
17 
settlement. After the lapse of such time, the settlement may be enforced by action in 
18 
the appropriate city or municipal court. 
19 
 
20 
Sec. 29. Repudiation.— Any party to the dispute may, within ten (10) days 
21 
from the date of the settlement, repudiate the same by filing with the conciliation 
22 
board chairman a statement to that effect sworn to before him, where the consent is 
23 
vitiated by fraud, violence, or intimidation. Such repudiation shall be sufficient basis 
24 
for the issuance of the certification for filing a complaint as hereinabove provided. 
25 
 
26 
Sec. 30. Transmittal of Settlement and Arbitration Award to the Court.— The 
27 
secretary of the conciliation board shall transmit the settlement or the arbitration 
28 
award to the appropriate city or municipal court within five (5) days from the date of 
29 
the award or from the lapse of the ten-day period repudiating the settlement and 
30 
shall furnish copies thereof to each of the parties to the settlement and the conciliation 
31 
board chairman. 
32 


15 
 
 
1 
Sec. 31. Power to Administer Oaths.– The punong barangay, as chairman of 
2 
the conciliation board, and the members of the conciliation panel are hereby 
3 
authorized to administer oaths in connection with any matter relating to all 
4 
proceedings in the implementation of the barangay conciliation procedure herein 
5 
outlined. 
6 
 
7 
Sec. 32. Barangay Justice Worker Salary, Incentives and Benefits.– In 
8 
recognition of their services, all accredited barangay justice workers who are actively 
9 
and regularly performing their duties shall be entitled to the following salary, 
10 
incentives and benefits: 
11 
(a) 
Salary — Barangay Justice Workers shall receive a compensation under 
12 
a salary grade to be determined by the DOJ; 
13 
(b) 
Hazard Allowance — Barangay Justice Workers in rural and urban areas, 
14 
exposed to situations, conditions, or factors in the work environment or 
15 
place where foreseeable but unavoidable danger or risks exist which 
16 
adversely endanger his health or life and/ or increase the risk of 
17 
producing adverse effect on his person in the exercise of his duties, to 
18 
be validated by the proper authorities, shall be entitled to hazard 
19 
allowance in an amount to be determined by the DOJ, in consultation 
20 
with the local peace and order council of the local government unit 
21 
concerned; 
22 
(c) 
Training, Education and Career Enrichment Programs — The DOJ, in 
23 
accordance with the Department of Education and other concerned 
24 
government agencies and non-government organizations, shall provide 
25 
opportunities for the following: 
26 
(1) educational programs which shall recognize years of barangay 
27 
justice service as credits to higher education in institutions with 
28 
stepladder curricula that will entitle Barangay Justice Workers to 
29 
upgrade their skills and knowledge for community work or to pursue 
30 
further training as lawyers; 
31 


16 
 
(2) continuing education, study and exposure tours, training, grants, 
1 
field immersion, scholarships, etc.; and 
2 
(3) scholarship benefits in the form of tuition fees in state colleges, to 
3 
be granted to one child of every Barangay Justice Worker who will 
4 
not be able to take advantage of the above programs. 
5 
(d) 
 Civil Service Eligibility — A second grade eligibility shall be granted to 
6 
Barangay Justice Workers who have rendered five (5) years continuous 
7 
service as such. 
8 
(e) 
 Free Legal Services — Legal representation and consultation services 
9 
for Barangay Justice Workers shall be immediately provided by the 
10 
Public Attorney’s Office in cases of coercion, interference, and in other 
11 
civil and criminal cases filed by or against Barangay Justice Workers 
12 
arising out of or in connection with the performance of their duties as 
13 
such. 
14 
(f) 
 Private Legal Assistance — As an alternative to the free legal services 
15 
under the previous paragraph, all Barangay Justice Workers are hereby 
16 
authorized to engage the service of private lawyers or extend counsel 
17 
immediately upon receipt of Court Notice that a civil or criminal action, 
18 
suit or proceeding is filed against them. The lawyer's fee shall be part 
19 
of the indemnification package for the Barangay Justice Workers, 
20 
subject to the provisions of the succeeding paragraph. 
21 
(g) 
 Indemnification of Barangay Justice Worker – The DOJ shall establish 
22 
an equitable indemnification package for the Barangay Justice Workers, 
23 
which may be in the form of free legal assistance, liability insurance, 
24 
and other forms of protection and indemnification for all cost and 
25 
expenses reasonably incurred by such persons in connection with any 
26 
civil or criminal actions, suit or proceeding to which they may be, or 
27 
have been made, a party by reason of the performance of their functions 
28 
or duties, unless they are finally adjudged in such action or proceeding 
29 
to be liable for gross negligence or misconduct or grave abuse of 
30 
discretion. 
31 
 
32 


17 
 
In the event of settlement or compromise, indemnification shall be 
1 
confined only on matters covered by the settlement, provided that the 
2 
DOJ Secretary has determined that the concerned Barangay Justice 
3 
Worker did not committed gross negligence or misconduct in the 
4 
performance of his functions and duties. 
5 
(h) 
Legal Assistance Fund — There shall be established a Legal Assistance 
6 
Fund to be administered DOJ and sourced from the filing fees authorized 
7 
to be collected under Section 15 of this Act and from national and local 
8 
appropriations, among others. 
9 
 
10 
Sec. 33. Administration; Rules and Regulations.— The city or municipal mayor, 
11 
as the case may be, shall see to the efficient and effective implementation and 
12 
administration of barangay conciliation provisions of this law. 
13 
 
14 
The Department of Justice, in coordination with concerned agencies, shall 
15 
prepare and issue the implementing rules and regulation within one hundred eighty 
16 
(180) days from the effectivity of this Act. 
17 
 
18 
Sec. 34. Appropriations.— The amount needed for the implementation of this 
19 
Act shall be taken from the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) under the annual 
20 
budget of the city or municipality concerned. 
21 
 
22 
Sec. 35. Separability Clause.— If any portion or provision of this Act is 
23 
subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are 
24 
not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
25 
 
26 
Sec. 36. Repealing Clause.— All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, 
27 
executive orders, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or 
28 
parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this 
29 
Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
30 


18 
 
Sec. 37. Effectivity.– This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
1 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation. 
2 
 
Approved,