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

Sy
IS” RECEIV

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO._S080

Introduced by Hon. LEOPOLDO N. BATAOIL

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Fair and speedy justice is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution and one
principal concer brought to fore by the bench and the bar in Pangasinan is the voluminous
number of eases being handled by the courts in said provinee.

The province of Pangasinan has 27 Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC), Municipal
Circuit Trial Courts (MCT), and Municipal Trial Courts (MTC) and 24 Regional Trial Courts
(RTC) covering the cities of Alaminos, Dagupan, San Carlos and Urdaneta and the towns of
Anda, Bani, Bayambang, Binmaley, Bolinao, Calasiao, Lingayen, Malasiqui, Manaoag,
Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Mapandan, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Maria and Umingan, Aguilar-Bugallon,
Balungao, Burgos-Mabini-Dasol, Labrador-Sual, San Fabian-San Jacinto, Urbiztondo-Basista,
Pozorrubio-Sison, Asingan-San Manuel, Alcala-Bautista, Tayug-San Nicolas, Natividad-San
Quintin, Villasis-Sto. Tomas, Binalonan- Laoac, each with a docket of one thousand cases more
or less

‘The area over which these courts in Pangasinan exercise jurisdiction is not only extensive
but is also considered as one of the fastest developing hubs in the Province of Pangasinan. Even
as the courts in the province have assiduously and competently discharged their functions and
duties, they simply cannot cope with and dispose of cases faster than the sheer number of cases
being fied in their respective salas.

‘The people of Pangasinan deserve an improved quality of life through fast and efficient
administration of justice. Moreover, there is a clamor from the judges in the Province of
Pangasinan to increase the courts in the province to address the growing number of population
and the increasing complexities of life brought about by an increase in commercial transactions,
among others. Therefore, to prevent the situation where the quality of justice being served is
sacrificed for the sake of expediency and to avoid the deterioration of the situation into a classic
example of the often quoted adage that “Justice delayed is justice denied,” it is but imperative
that five (5) additional Regional Trial Courts be created to be spread out in the key areas of the
province, namely: Alaminos City, Dagupan City, San Carlos City, Lingayen and Urdaneta City.

Hence, approval of this bill is highly recommended.

“%


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

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

‘ond Regular Session

ra
E BILL NO. ob BE =

Introduced by Hon. LEOPOLDO N, BATAOIL

AN ACT
BLISHING FIVE ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL
COURT IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF LINGAYEN AND IN THE CITIES OF
ALAMINOS, DAGUPAN, S. ARLOS AND URDANETA, ALL SITUATED IN THE,
PROVINCE OF PANGASINAN, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
PAMBANSA BLG. 129, c] KNOWN AS THE JU
REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980 AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR.

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

SECTION 1. Section 14 of Batas Pambansa Bilang Isang Daan Dalawampu at Siyam, is
hereby amended to read as follows:

14. Regional Trial Courts.

(a) xxx XXX XXX
XXX XXX XXX
“TWENTY-SIX branches (Branches XXXVII to LVII-I) for the Province of Pangasinan

los, Branches XXXVII to XXXIX-I with Seats at
agupan, Branches XLV to XLIX-I at Urdaneta, Branch L
Branch LIlI at Rosales, Branches LIV and LV-I at
n Carlos.”

and the cities of Dagupan and
Lingayen, Branches XL to XLI
at Villasis, Branch LI and Lil at Tayug.
Alaminos and Branches LVI and LVII-I at

SECTION 2. The amount necessary for the effective implementation of this Act shall be
charged to the appropriations for the Supreme Court under the current General Appropriations
‘Act. Thereafter, such amount as maybe necessary for the continuous implementation of this Act
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act

SECTION 3. TI ct shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least
two (2) National newspapers of general circulation

Approved.