Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _ $308

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT
CREATING TWO (2) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE
FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CALAUAG,
PROVINCE OF QUEZON AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE SECTION 14(E) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE
JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AS AMENDED

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Martin Luther King, Jr., a revered civil rights advocate, famously decried that “justice delayed is
justice denied.” The truth of Mr. King’s words, unfortunately, still very much resonate to this day with
the plight of many Filipinos whose cases have long languished or are still languishing in our courts.

It is not uncommon to see stacks of case files finding their way into the corridors of our courts
simply because they could not keep up with the volume of cases that are brought for their disposition.
Due to the sheer volume of cases in our courts, it is possible that the wheels of justice may grind to a
halt.

Such is the case in the Regional Trial Court Branch in the Municipality of Calauag, Province of
Quezon, which covers the municipalities of Calauag, Lopez, Tagkawayan and Guinayangan. The dense
population of these localities and high incidence of crime, particularly drug cases within its jurisdiction
has brought the court inventory of criminal cases from more than 400 in 2014 to more than 1,400
cases in 2016. Such situation may have been triggered by the steady increase in our population from
the time when the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980 or Batas Pambansa 129 allotted the
corresponding number of courts per judicial region based on the exigencies then existing.

With rapid development and increasing human activity in the Quezon Province, it is almost
certain that the number of legal conflicts will only steadily increase in the coming years. Hence, the
need to create additional courts to address the overload..

It is hoped that the passage of this bill will help realize the Constitution's mandate that gives
each person “the right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or
administrative bodies" (Section 16, Article III, 1987 Philippine Constitution).

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

(cen

ANGELINA “HELEN” D.L. TAN, M.D.
4th District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. 4308

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT
CREATING TWO (2) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE
FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED. IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CALAUAG,
PROVINCE OF QUEZON AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE SECTION 14(E) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE
JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AS AMENDED

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

SECTION 1. Two (2) additional branches of the Regional Trial Court are hereby created in the
Fourth Judicial Region to be stationed in the Municipality of Calauag, Province of Quezon.

The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch numbers for the newly-created branches
of the Regional Trial Court.

SEC. 2. 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 Regional Trial Court to be stationed in the Municipality of Calauag, Province
of Quezon, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 3. Section 14(e) of Batas Pambansa Big. 129, otherwise known as “The Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980", as amended, and all other laws, rules and regulations which are
inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after completion of its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,