Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4190

Introduced by Honorable Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The Bill of Rights guarantees that “All persons shall have the right to a speedy
disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies” (Section
16, Article III, 1987 Philippine Constitution).

However, the lack of courts and judges, as well as the heavy workload in the existing
salas, have practically conspired to render the constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases.
an illusory one in many instances.

When this bill was originally filed in the Seventeenth (17") Congress, the combined
caseload of the two (2) existing branches of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Ormoc City,
Province of Leyte was found to be 2,187, averaging 1,094 cases per branch (as of April 2016).
‘This was a far cry from the ideal or manageable ratio of 300-450 caseload for each branch.
More than three (3) years later, the congestion in the dockets of our RTCs has only worsened,
and the existing Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs) have not fared any better.

In view therefore of the urgency of this measure, its early approval is most eamestly

$b.

sought,


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. argo

Introduced by Honorable Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez

AN ACT

CREATING FOUR (4) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL
COURT TO BE STATIONED IN THE CITY OF ORMOC, PROVINCE OF LEYTE
AND SIX (6) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT, ONE
BRANCH TO BE STATIONED IN EACH OF THE MUNICIPALITIES OF
PALOMPON, KANANGA, ISABEL, MERIDA, ALBUERA AND MATAG-OB, IN THE
PROVINCE OF LEYTE, EIGHTH JUDICIAL REGION, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (I) AND SECTION 30 OF BATAS
PAMBANSA BLG. 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 Congress of the
Philippines in session assembled:

SECTION 1. Four (4) additional branches of the Regional Trial Court for Ormoc City,
Leyte, with seats thereat, are hereby created in the Eight Judicial Region.

Six (6) additional branches of the Municipal Trial Court, each branch to be stationed in
the municipalities of Palompon, Kananga, Isabel, Merida, Albeura and Matag-ob in the
Province of Leyte, are hereby created in the Eight Judicial Region.

SEC. 2. The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch number for the newly
created branches of the Regional Trial Court and Municipal Trial Court.

SEC. 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
operationalization of the additional branches of the RTC and MTC the funding of which shall
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 4. Section 14 (i) and Section 30 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, otherwise known
as “The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980” as amended, and all other laws, rules and
regulations that are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby amended, repealed or modified
accordingly.


SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of the general circulation.

Approved,