Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City  
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by Rep. Ferdinand L. Hernandez 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING  
THE LEGAL STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, 
RENAMING IT AS THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF STATE COUNSEL, REDEFINING, 
EXPANDING, RATIONALIZING AND FURTHER PROFESSIONALIZING ITS 
ORGANIZATION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is the principal law agency which shall be 
both the government’s “legal counsel and prosecution arm” (Section 1, Chapter 1, 
Title III, Executive Order (EO) No. 292 (Administrative Code of 1987). These core 
functions are fulfilled by the two main offices in the DOJ proper: the Legal Staff, 
serving as the legal counsel, and the National Prosecution Service, the prosecution 
arm. 
The Legal Staff (Office of the Chief State Counsel or OCSC), under the Office 
of the Secretary of Justice, assists the Secretary of Justice in his role as Attorney 
General.  
Currently, the Office of the Chief State Counsel is composed of forty-two (42) 
State Counsels and twenty-six (26) support staff. The Legal Staff was created under 
Republic Act (R.A.) No. 2705, as amended by R.A. No. 4152, and mandated by EO 
No. 292, to render legal opinions, memoranda, comments or legal studies, upon the 
request of national government functionaries on difficult questions of law attending 
the performance of their respective functions and to prepare replies or legal advice 
or legal studies at the instance of private parties and minor government officials and 
employees including ad hoc bodies, committees or task forces. 
Since the promulgation of the Administrative Code in 1987, the matters and 
issues handled by the Office of the Chief State Counsel have evolved and expanded 
beyond rendition of legal opinions. The Office of the Chief State Counsel is 
confronted with more complex and challenging legal matters, particularly in the areas 
of public and private international laws that were not envisioned by the drafters of the 
Administrative Code and of the law which created the Legal Staff of the Department 
of Justice.  This bill seeks to accurately show the evolved role of the Legal Staff.  
August 20, 2025
7:00 pm
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The most unique and novel function that is exclusive to the Office of the Chief 
State Counsel is that it discharges the role of the DOJ as the Central Authority in 
matters involving international legal cooperation, i.e., extradition, mutual legal 
assistance in criminal matters (MLA) and transfer of sentenced persons. As such, it 
is the Legal Staff which negotiates, with the assistance of the Department of Foreign 
Affairs, proposed treaties on Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters 
(MLA) and Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TSP).  It is also the Office of the Chief 
State Counsel which takes the lead in the implementation of the country’s treaties on 
international legal cooperation.  As Central Authority, the Legal Staff is tasked to 
make and receive requests for extradition, MLA and TSPs to and from Philippine 
treaty partners.  It also represents Philippine treaty partners before Philippine courts 
in extradition and MLA proceedings.  
The Department’s Refugees and Stateless Persons Unit (RSPPU) plays a 
pivotal role in the implementation of the country’s treaty commitments under the 
Refugees and Statelessness Conventions.  The Department is also the designated 
Philippine Central Authority for the Hague Child Abduction Convention.  It is the 
Office of the Chief State Counsel which is in charge of these matters. 
The Office of the Chief State Counsel is also the legal adviser of the country’s 
lead negotiators of bilateral and regional Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and 
Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs). So far, the country has 
three bilateral FTAs: with Japan, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and 
South Korea. Moreover, the Philippines has six (6) regional trade agreements 
(ASEAN Plus FTAs), with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership 
(RCEP) Agreement as the most recent.  It is the OCSC which led the negotiations for 
the Working Group on Legal Institutional Issues (WGLII) and the legal scrubbing of 
the said Agreements. It is essential to recognize that FTAs and IPPAs, being 
economic accords, carry legal implications, and the State Counsels of the OCSC 
play a vital role in these endeavors. The OCSC, when so requested by the lead 
agency, also serves as legal adviser in the negotiation and implementation of other 
treaties, agreements, and conventions. 
When requested, State Counsels, in their mandate to assist the Secretary of 
Justice in his role as Attorney General, have been actively involved as resource 
persons in various proposed legislations in both houses of Congress and have led 
the drafting of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRRs) for some laws. It is 
also the Office of the Chief State Counsel which prepares the Department’s 
comments on Enrolled Bills, upon the request of the Office of the Deputy Executive 
Secretary for Legal Affairs (ODESLA) of the Office of the President. 
The OCSC also renders resolution on questions of constitutionality or legality 
of municipal tax ordinances and resolves issues concerning controversies between 
or among government agencies. It acts on applications for special authority to 
employ foreign nationals under Commonwealth Act No. 108, amended or the Anti-
Dummy Law. Also, the OCSC acts on applications for special non-immigrant visas 
under Section 47(a)(2) of C.A. No. 613, as amended, including citizenship and 
deportation cases transmitted by the Bureau of Immigration to the Department for 
review. 


Page 3 of 10 
The multifaceted and demanding role required of State Counsels, which has 
been unheralded and overlooked over the years, can efficiently and effectively be 
met by recognizing the exceptional role of the OCSC, strengthening its functions, 
expanding the Office, augmenting benefits, and upgrading employee skills. 
The OCSC is undermanned and is in dire need of organizational upgrading in 
order to function optimally.  The highest point in the career of a State Counsel is 
perhaps the position of Chief State Counsel.  Yet, it is unfortunate that the 
counterparts of the Chief State Counsel – the Prosecutor General and the Solicitor 
General in the Office of the Solicitor General – enjoy the rank of Presiding Justices of 
the Court of Appeals.  The corresponding judicial rank proposed for the State 
Counsels of the Legal Staff augurs well with the fact that the Office is a veritable 
training ground for lawyers in specialized fields of law.  Among those who worked in 
the Legal Staff of the Department of Justice and rose to prominence in the legal 
profession are the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, retired Supreme Court 
Chief Justice and Sandiganbayan Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, retired 
Supreme Court Justices Florentino Feliciano, Leonardo Quisumbing and Minerva P. 
Gonzaga-Reyes, retired Court of Appeals Justice Rosalinda Asuncion-Vicente, Court 
of Tax Appeals Justice Cielito Mindaro-Grulla, retired BSP Deputy Governor Melpin 
Gonzaga, former Supreme Court Justice and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales,  
and former Ombudsman, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, and Acting Secretary of 
Justice Ma. Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez. 
The counterparts of the State Counsels in the DOJ are the State Prosecutors 
whose Office was strengthened and rationalized, and given the same benefits in 
R.A. No. 10071 in 2010. It is high time that the unheralded and overlooked State 
Counsels of the Department of Justice likewise be given the same benefits as that of 
their counterparts in the Department. 
Also, compensation and retirement benefits from the Office of the 
Ombudsman and the Judiciary have been upgraded, leaving the OCSC behind. 
This bill has been filed in the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th Congresses which 
signifies its importance and urgency.  In re-filing this proposed measure in the 20th 
Congress, it is sincerely hoped that this will finally gain enough support for its 
passage into a law in order to empower and recognize our State Counsels as they 
perform fully and effectively their mandates. 
The passage of this Bill is earnestly sought. 
FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ 


Page 4 of 10 
Republic of the Philippines 
1 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
2 
Quezon City  
3 
4 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
5 
First Regular Session 
6 
7 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
8 
9 
10 
Introduced by Rep. Ferdinand L. Hernandez 
11 
12 
13 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING  
14 
THE LEGAL STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, 
15 
RENAMING IT AS THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF STATE COUNSEL, REDEFINING, 
16 
EXPANDING, RATIONALIZING AND FURTHER PROFESSIONALIZING ITS 
17 
ORGANIZATION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
18 
19 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
20 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
21 
22 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Office of the Chief 
23 
State Counsel Act.” 
24 
25 
SECTION 2. Office of the Chief State Counsel. – The Legal Staff created under 
26 
Republic Act (R.A.) No. 2705, as amended by R.A. No. 4152, shall be renamed as the 
27 
“Office of the Chief State Counsel.” 
28 
29 
SECTION 3. State Counsel. - Unless otherwise specified, the term "State Counsel" 
30 
shall refer to the Chief State Counsel, Deputy Chief State Counsel, Senior State Counsel, 
31 
and State Counsels I to IV. 
32 
33 
SECTION 4. Powers and Functions. – The Office of the Chief State Counsel shall 
34 
assist the Secretary of Justice in the exercise of his functions as Attorney General of the 
35 
Philippines and ex officio legal adviser of government-owned or controlled corporations, or 
36 
enterprises and their subsidiaries.  The Office of the Chief State Counsel shall be under the 
37 
supervision and control of the Secretary of Justice. The Office of the Chief State Counsel 
38 
shall have the following powers and functions: 
39 
40 
(a) Recommend to the Secretary of Justice, legal opinion or advice on questions
41 
of law arising from the performance of powers and duties, and upon request of
42 
heads, of national government functionaries and act on other queries;
43 
44 
(b) Study and recommend to the Secretary of Justice the following:
45 
46 
i.
comments and position papers on proposed legislations, whenever there
47 
are legal issues involved;
48 
49 
ii.
opinion or comments on the legality and validity of foreign loan and
50 
guarantee agreements, and, in certain cases, agreements related to
51 
domestic borrowings;
52 
53 
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(c) Lead negotiations of treaties, conventions, or agreements involving 
1 
international legal cooperation, including extradition, mutual legal assistance in 
2 
criminal matters, and transfer of sentenced persons; 
3 
 
4 
(d) Serve as legal adviser to other government agencies in the negotiations and 
5 
implementation of international agreements, and whenever so requested, lead 
6 
in the negotiations involving legal and institutional issues; 
7 
 
8 
(e) Represent the Secretary of Justice or Department of Justice (DOJ) as the 
9 
designated Central Authority in treaties, conventions, and other international 
10 
agreements; 
11 
 
12 
(f) Act on requests for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, extradition, 
13 
transfer of sentenced persons, and other forms of international legal 
14 
cooperation; 
15 
 
16 
(g) Represent and serve as counsel of the requesting state in all stages of 
17 
cases relating to extradition and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters; 
18 
 
19 
(h) Serve on standing councils, committees, working groups, and task forces, as 
20 
required; 
21 
 
22 
(i) Review Orders of the Bureau of Immigration, including recognition of Filipino 
23 
citizens or cancellation of alien certificate of registration, and deportation cases; 
24 
 
25 
(j) Adjudication of disputes, claims and controversies between or among 
26 
government offices, agencies and instrumentalities, including government-
27 
owned and controlled corporations, when only questions of law are raised; 
28 
 
29 
(k) Review the legality and validity of tax ordinances and revenue measures; 
30 
 
31 
(l) Act on applications for the following: 
32 
 
33 
i. 
special non-immigrant visas under Sec. 47(a)(2) of Commonwealth Act 
34 
(C.A.) No. 613, otherwise known as the Philippine Immigration Act of 
35 
1940, as amended; 
36 
ii. 
special authority to employ foreign nationals under C.A. No. 108, 
37 
otherwise known as the Anti-Dummy Law, as amended; 
38 
iii. 
recognition of refugee and statelessness status; 
39 
iv. 
validation of land titles filed pursuant to Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 
40 
1271 entitled “An Act Nullifying the Decrees of Registration and 
41 
Certificates of Title Covering Lands Within the Baguio Townsite 
42 
Reservation”; 
43 
 
44 
(m) Supervise the Department Law Library, as well as its personnel; and 
45 
 
46 
(n) Exercise such other powers and functions as may be provided by law or 
47 
as may be delegated by the Secretary of Justice. 
48 
 
49 
SECTION 5. Expansion. The staff of the Office of the Chief State Counsel shall 
50 
be increased and their positions upgraded, with a corresponding increase in the general 
51 
and administrative support personnel and provision for ample office space. There shall 
52 
be seven (7) divisions in the Office of the Chief State Counsel.  Each division shall 
53 
be headed by a Deputy Chief State Counsel and shall consist of at least ten (10) 
54 


Page 6 of 10 
 
State Counsels, and such personnel as may be necessary for the office to 
1 
effectively carry out its functions. Upon the recommendation of the Chief State 
2 
Counsel, provided the exigencies of service requires it, the Secretary of Justice 
3 
may create additional divisions. 
4 
 
5 
The designation, ranks, and salary grades of State Counsels are amended as 
6 
follows: 
7 
 
8 
 
9 
OLD POSITION 
NEW POSITION  
 
POSITION/ 
DESIGNATION 
 
SALARY 
GRADE 
 
POSITION/ 
DESIGNATION 
SALARY GRADE 
Chief State Counsel 
 
SG 30 
Chief State Counsel 
SG 30 
Step 4 
Assistant Chief State Counsel  
 
SG 29 
Deputy Chief  
State Counsel 
SG 30 
State Counsel V 
 
SG 28 
Senior  
State Counsel 
SG 29 
State Counsel IV 
 
SG 27 
State Counsel IV 
SG 28 
State Counsel III 
 
SG 26 
State Counsel III 
SG 27 
State Counsel II 
 
SG 25 
State Counsel II 
SG 26 
State Counsel I 
 
SG 24 
State Counsel I 
SG 25 
 
10 
 
11 
The Chief State Counsel and the Deputy Chief State Counsels shall be appointed 
12 
by the President of the Philippines. All other State Counsels and administrative 
13 
personnel shall be appointed by the Secretary of Justice upon recommendation by the 
14 
Promotion and Selection Board. 
15 
 
16 
The Chief State Counsel and the Deputy Chief State Counsels shall act as a 
17 
Promotion and Selection Board to screen applicants for appointment and promotion to 
18 
any State Counsel position and administrative personnel in the Office of the Chief State 
19 
Counsel. The Chief State Counsel shall be the chairperson of the Board. 
20 
 
21 
Appointments of the State Counsels shall be deemed permanent upon 
22 
compliance with the prescribed qualification standards under the law. The State 
23 
Counsels occupying the positions affected by the changes in this Act at the time of its 
24 
approval shall thereafter occupy and discharge the duties and functions of the upgraded 
25 
positions and receive the corresponding salary, benefits and privileges without necessity 
26 
of new appointment. 
27 
The State Counsels occupying the positions affected by the changes in this Act at 
28 
the time of its approval shall thereafter occupy and discharge the duties and functions of 
29 
the upgraded positions and receive the corresponding salary, benefits, and privileges, 
30 
without necessity of new appointment. 
31 
 
32 


 
 
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There shall be positions created for administrative personnel equivalent to at 
1 
least one (1) support staff for every two (2) State Counsels. 
2 
 
3 
SECTION 6. Qualifications of the State Counsels. -The Chief State Counsel 
4 
and Deputy Chief State Counsels must be citizens of the Philippines and have been 
5 
engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines for at least fifteen (15) years prior to 
6 
their appointment. 
7 
 
8 
Senior State Counsels must be members of the Philippine Bar for at least ten 
9 
(10) years prior to their appointment. 
10 
 
11 
State Counsels IV must be members of the Philippine Bar for at least five (5) 
12 
years prior to their appointment. 
13 
 
14 
State Counsels III must be members of the Philippine Bar for at least four (4) 
15 
years prior to their appointment. 
16 
 
17 
State Counsels II must be members of the Philippine Bar for at least three (3) 
18 
years prior to their appointment. 
19 
 
20 
State Counsels I must be members of the Philippine Bar for at least one (1) year 
21 
prior to their appointment.  
22 
 
23 
SECTION 7. Compensation and Benefits. – The salaries and allowances of 
24 
State Counsels shall correspond to their position, rank, and salary grade pursuant to 
25 
Section 5 hereof. The Chief State Counsel and the Deputy Chief State Counsels shall 
26 
enjoy the same retirement, death, survivorship, and other benefits as those of a 
27 
Presiding Justice and Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals, respectively. Senior 
28 
State Counsels shall enjoy the same retirement, death, survivorship, and other benefits 
29 
as those of the judges of the Regional Trial Courts. All other State Counsels shall enjoy 
30 
the same retirement, death, survivorship, and other benefits as those of the judges of 
31 
the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and 
32 
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts. 
33 
 
34 
SECTION 8. Retirement Benefits. – When a State Counsel, who has rendered 
35 
at least fifteen (15) years of service either in the Office of the Chief State Counsel or in 
36 
any branch of government, or in both, retires for having attained the age of sixty-five (65) 
37 
years or resigns by reason of incapacity to discharge the duties of his or her office, he or 
38 
she shall, during the residue of his or her natural life, in the manner hereinafter provided, 
39 
receive a retirement pension based on the highest monthly salary, plus the highest 
40 
monthly aggregate of transportation, living and representation allowances, which he or 
41 
she was receiving at the time of his or her retirement or resignation. 
42 
 
43 
A State Counsel, who retires after having worked for at least fifteen (15) 
44 
uninterrupted years in the Office of the Chief State Counsel, shall also earn longevity 
45 
pay in addition to retirement benefits. 
46 
 
 When a State Counsel has attained the age of sixty (60) years and has rendered 
47 
at least fifteen (15) years of service in government, the last five (5) years of which must 
48 
have been continuously rendered in the Office of the Chief State Counsel, he or she 
49 
shall likewise be entitled to retire and receive during the residue of his or her natural life 
50 
the same benefits provided for in Paragraph 1 of this Section; Provided, however, that 
51 


Page 8 of 10 
 
those with less than fifteen (15) years of service in the government shall be entitled to a 
1 
pro rata pension computed as follows: 
2 
 
3 
No. of years 
In Government 
___________          x 
Basic Pay Plus the Highest 
Monthly 
Aggregate 
of 
Transportation, 
Living 
and 
Representation Allowances 
 
15 years 
 
Upon retirement, a State Counsel shall automatically be entitled to a lump sum of 
4 
five (5) years’ gratuity computed on the basis of the highest monthly salary plus the 
5 
highest aggregate transportation, living and representative allowances he or she was 
6 
receiving on the date of retirement, and thereafter, upon survival after the expiration of 
7 
five (5) years, to further annuity payable monthly during the residue of his or her natural 
8 
life pursuant to the first and second paragraph of this Section.  
9 
 
10 
SECTION 9. Collateral Increase. - All pension benefits of retired State Counsels 
11 
shall be automatically increased whenever there is an increase in the salary and 
12 
allowance for the same position from which they retired. 
13 
 
14 
SECTION 10. Survivorship Benefits. –In case a State Counsel covered by this 
15 
Act dies during his or her retirement, the surviving legitimate spouse and dependent of 
16 
said State Counsel shall be entitled to receive all the retirement benefits that the 
17 
deceased was receiving or entitled to receive at the time of death. 
18 
 
19 
A "dependent" means a legitimate, illegitimate or legally-adopted child who is 
20 
chiefly dependent on the said deceased State Counsel if such dependent is not more 
21 
than twenty-one (21) years of age, unmarried and not gainfully employed, or if such 
22 
dependent regardless of age, is incapable of self-support because of mental or physical 
23 
disability or condition. 
24 
 
25 
The surviving legitimate spouse shall continue to receive retirement benefits 
26 
during his or her lifetime or until he or she remarries; Provided, that the surviving 
27 
legitimate spouse receiving benefits under existing retirement laws shall only be entitled 
28 
to the difference between the amount provided for in this Act and the benefits he or she 
29 
is receiving; Provided, further, that said benefits shall be granted to the surviving 
30 
legitimate spouse or dependent of State Counsels who retired prior to the effectivity of 
31 
this Act. 
32 
 
33 
Funds for the initial implementation of this Section shall be taken out of the 
34 
current appropriations for the retirement of the State Counsel and/or savings of the DOJ. 
35 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this 
36 
Section shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
37 
 
38 
SECTION 11. Death Benefits. – In case a State Counsel dies while in service, 
39 
regardless of age and length of service, the heirs shall receive a lump sum of five (5) 
40 
years’ gratuity computed on the basis of the highest monthly salary plus the highest 
41 
aggregate of transportation, living and representation allowances being received by the 
42 
State Counsel at the time of death: Provided, however, That where said State Counsel 
43 
has rendered at least fifteen (15) years of government service, either in the Office of the 
44 
Chief State Counsel or in any branch of government, or both, his or her heirs shall 
45 
instead be entitled to a lump sum of ten (10) years gratuity computed on the same basis 
46 
as indicated in this provision: Provided further, That the lump sum of ten (10) years 
47 


 
 
Page 9 of 10 
 
gratuity shall be received by the heirs of a State Counsel who was killed by reason of his 
1 
or her duties as such: Provided finally, that the State Counsel has served in the Office of 
2 
the Chief State Counsel for at least five (5) years regardless of age at the time of death.  
3 
 
4 
SECTION 12. Prohibitions. – To maintain entitlement to the retirement benefits 
5 
herein provided, a State Counsel shall not, during the time he or she is receiving said 
6 
benefit, appear as counsel before any judicial or quasi-judicial agency in any civil case 
7 
wherein the Government or any agency, subdivision, or instrumentality thereof is an 
8 
adverse party, or in any criminal case wherein any officer or employee of the 
9 
Government is accused of an offense committed in relation to his/her office, or collect 
10 
any fee for his or her appearance in any administrative proceedings, to maintain an 
11 
interest adverse to the government, whether national, provincial, or municipal or to any 
12 
of its legally constituted offices. When a State Counsel covered under this Act shall 
13 
assume an elective public office, he or she shall not, upon assumption of office and 
14 
during his or her term, receive retirement benefits. 
15 
 
16 
SECTION 13. Other Benefits and Privileges. –The State Counsels and all 
17 
employees under the Office of the Chief State Counsel shall be entitled to the following 
18 
benefits: 
19 
 
20 
(a) Health care services through a health maintenance organization (HMO). 
21 
Expenses for the mandatory annual executive check-up of the Chief State 
22 
Counsel, Deputy Chief State Counsels and Senior State Counsels, shall be 
23 
for the account of the DOJ; 
24 
 
25 
(b) Accident insurance policies procured by the DOJ, at its own expense, during 
26 
travels while in the performance of their official duties and functions;  
27 
 
28 
(c) Scholarships to deserving employees, on official time and at the expense of 
29 
the DOJ, to enhance their academic growth and upgrade their knowledge 
30 
and skills;  
31 
 
32 
(d) Annual thirty (30) days forfeitable leave with pay, in addition to the fifteen (15) 
33 
days’ vacation leave and fifteen (15) days sick leave privileges provided for 
34 
by law, for all State Counsels.  The forfeitable leave privilege under this Act 
35 
shall be noncumulative and noncovertible to cash. 
36 
 
37 
SECTION 14. Applicability. – All benefits heretofore extended under Republic 
38 
Act No. 910, as amended, and all other benefits that may be extended by way of 
39 
amendment thereto shall likewise be given to the State Counsels covered by this Act. 
40 
 
41 
SECTION 15. Authority to Collect Fees. – The Office of the Chief State 
42 
Counsel is hereby authorized to assess, revise and collect fees for various services 
43 
rendered in accordance with Section 54, Chapter 12, Book IV of Executive Order No. 
44 
292, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987, and other laws. These 
45 
collections shall be deposited as a Trust Fund which shall be administered by the 
46 
Secretary of Justice to augment the Department’s funds covering the privileges and 
47 
benefits under Sections 13 and 16 hereof. 
48 
 
49 
SECTION 16. Seminar and Other Related Fees. –Fees for relevant seminars, 
50 
as well as professional membership fees for lawyers, registration fees and related 
51 


Page 10 of 10 
 
miscellaneous expenses incurred in completing the mandatory continuing legal 
1 
education (MCLE) shall be charged against the Trust Fund. 
2 
 
3 
SECTION 17. Franking Privilege. – The Office of the Chief State Counsel may 
4 
transmit through ordinary mail and/or registered mail with return card, free of charge, all 
5 
official communications and papers directly connected with the conduct of its duties and 
6 
functions. 
7 
 
8 
SECTION 18. Appropriation. –There is hereby appropriated initially the sum of 
9 
Two Hundred Million Pesos (P200,000,000.00) from the funds of the National Treasury 
10 
not otherwise appropriated for the initial implementation of this Act. Thereafter, the 
11 
amount needed for the implementation of this Act shall be appropriated in the budget of 
12 
the Department of Justice under the Annual General Appropriations Act and from the 
13 
collected fees pursuant to Section 16 hereof. 
14 
 
15 
SECTION 19. Separability Clause. – If any of the provisions of this Act is 
16 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the provisions not affected thereby shall continue to 
17 
be in full force and effect. 
18 
 
19 
SECTION 20. Repealing Clause. – All acts, laws, decrees, executive orders, 
20 
letters of instructions and regulations or any part thereof which are inconsistent with any 
21 
provision of this Act are hereby repealed and or modified accordingly.  
22 
 
23 
SECTION 21. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from 
24 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official 
25 
Gazette. 
26 
 
27 
 
Approved, 
28