Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HOUsEBILLNo.    1C488
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FiECEivED
Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In the Philippines, the demand for more lawyers is an urgent necessity to
address various legal challenges and uphold the principles of justice.
Firstly,  the Philippines  grapples with a backlog of legal  cases,  which often
results in delays and inefficiencies in the justice system. More lawyers are needed to
help  alleviate  this  backlog  by  providing  legal  representation  and  assistance  to
individuals and entities involved in legal disputes. At present, there are only around
40,000 attorneys comprising the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and not all of them
are practicing lawyers. This means that one lawyer is serving roughly 2,500, far from
the ideal ratio of one lawyer for every 250 individuals.
Pursuing a legal education and career is notoriously expensive compared to a
regular  undergraduate  or  post-baccalaureate  degree.  Applying  in  the  top  legal
institutions in our country will cost around Php 75,000 - Php 100,000 per semester,
excluding application, examination, and instructional material fees (such as books and
other required course resources). We also have to take note of other miscellaneous
expenses such as food, transportation, living, and utility expenses that may incur in
the duration of one's law education.
In essence, the need for more lawyers in the Philippines is not just about filling
a quota - but is rooted in the fundamental principles of democracy, fairness, and
equality before the law. By expanding the legal workforce, we can strive towards a
more just and equitable society where the rights of every individual are protected and
upheld.
In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
-iT--i


Republic Of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HOUSEB|LLNo.1G468
Introduced by Representative MA VICTORIA CO-PILAR
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP AND RETURN SERVICE
PROGRAM, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Rjapresentatives Of the Phitippines in Congress
assembled:
1      Section 1. Short Tz.ffe -This Act shall be known as the ``Abogrdo p¢rfl s# B¢yfl7i Act''.
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3      Sec 2. DecJ#rtzfrori a/PoJz.ey -It is hereby declared a policy of the State to uphold the
4     right of the people to free access to the courts and quasi-judicial body and adequate
5      legal  assistance  through  the  creation  of  a  system  that  would  support  the  legal
6      education of qualified and deserving students who shall thereafter render a mandatory
7      return of service in government offices.
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9       Sec 3. Legrz schoharsfei.p ¢7zd Rcfum se7t%.ce prog7'itzm -There shall be established a Legal
1o     Scholarship and Return service (I.SRS) Program for deserving students who intend to
11      pursue a Juris Doctor oD) or Bachelor of haws (BLL) degree in state universities and
12      colleges (SUCs) or in partner private higher education institutions (IHls) in regions
13      where there are no suc offering JD or BLL degree.
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15      Sec 4. AssI.shariae fo Grflrifees -A grantee under the I.SRS program shall be entitled to
16      financial assistance which shall include:
17           a)  Free  tuition  and  other  school  fees,  including  but  not  limited  to,  student
18                 registration fees, library fees, and publication fees;
19            b)  Allowance for prescribed books and supplies;


1           c)   Allowance for review fees for government~mandated bar exams; and
2            d)  Allowance for licensure fees.
3                  Proz#.did, that the financial assistance provided herein shall be reviewed and
4      adjusted  to  its  value  using  the  Consumer  Price  Index  (CPI)  as  published  by  the
5      Philippine statistics Authority qrsA) five (5) years from the implementation of this Act,
6      and every five (5) years thereafter.
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8      Sec  5.   QwflJi¢cofro#s  -  An  applicant  to  the  Program  must  meet  the  following
9      qualifications:
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a)  A Filipino citizen residing in the Philippines;
b)  A  graduating  or  a  graduate  student  of  an  undergraduate  degree  from  a
reputable tertiary education institution;
c)   Must  have  passed  the  entrance  examination  and  complied  with  other
requirements for admission into the JD or BLL degree program offered by the
SUC or HEI where the student intends to enroll; and
d)  Must be of good moral character.
Priority in the selection Of qualified and deserving grantees for the Program
18      shall  be  given  to  members  of  the  Indigenous  Cultural  Communities/Indigenous
19      Peoples (ICCs/Ips), those who belong to the marginalized sector, and those who come
20     from  cities  or  municipalities  with  a  limited  number  of  practicing  public  interest
21       1awyers`
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23      Sec 6.  Co7zdz.tr.owls ¢r Eke GrHr!f a/ Schoharsha.p -A qualified applicant admitted to the
24      Program shall be subject to the following conditions:
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a)  Must sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions Of the scholarship
which shall be prescribed by the Legal Education Board qEB), or its equivalent
body as may hereinafter be created by law;
b)  Must carry full load of subjects prescribed per semester by the SUC or private
HEI concerned, and shall not, under any circumstance, drop a course which
would result in underloading;
c)   Must finish the degree program within the prescribed time frame of the SUC or
private IIEI where the scholar is enrolled in, subject to the retention policies of
the SUC or private IHI concerned:  Pror#.did, That a scholar who is already
enrolled, may be allowed, for valid and justifiable reasons, to file a leave of
absence;
36           d)  Must take the bar examination within a maximum period of one (1) year after
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completion of the degree; and


1            e)  Must render the return service required under this Act.
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3       Sec  7.  CkHcczhafro7t a/ SchoharsJiz.p  ~ The Scholarship  grant shall  be cancelled and the
4      grantee shall repay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits received, including
5      all  the  expenses  incurred  during  the participation in the Program,  in any  of the
6      following circumstances:
7           a)  If the grantee fails to comply any of the conditions set forth in section 6 of this
8                    Act;
9           b)   If  the  grantee  commits  gross  misconduct  in  a  mamer  that  would  bring
1o                 significant damage to the suc or private REl concerned or to the community
11                   as a whole; or
12            c)   If the grantee is convicted of a crime or offense involving moral turpitude.
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14      Sec 8. M¢7tdrfory Rcfrom sc7.z».ce -Within five (5) years from admission to the practice
15      of law, a grantee shall render mandatory return service for two (2) years in government
16      agencies that provide legal services to:  (i)  poor and marginalized individuals and
17      communities, and (ii) public school teachers, public health workers, and military and
18      uniformed  personnel  involved  in  cases  arising  from  or  in  connection  with  the
19      performance of their duties and functions: Proz".did, That the mandatory return service
2o      shall be separate and distinct from the clinical Legal Education program as provided
21      under Rule 138-A of the Rules of court: Proz7z.did,jtrfher, That a grantee of the program
22      appointed to plantilla positions shall receive the appropriate salaries, benefits and
23      other emoluments for services rendered under the mandatory return service; Proz#.did,
24     ¢rfhe7'77zore, That a grantee of the program who, after three (3) years from admission to
25      the practice of law, fails to secure appointment in government shall have the option to:
26      (i)  pay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits received,  including all the
27      expenses incurred during the participation in the program; or (ii) undertake alternative
28     compliance program to be formulated by the LEB pursuant to the provisions of this
29      Act and Republic Act qiA) No. 9999, otherwise known as the Free Legal Assistance Act
3o      of 2010: Prow.did, f7iflJJ3/, That in the application of Republic Act No. 9999, the allowable
31      deduction from the gross income shall be the amount that could have been collected
32      from the actual free legal services rendered or up to twenty percent (200/o) of the gross
33      income derived from the actual performance of the legal profession, whichever is
34      lower.
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36      Sec 9. Number and AIlocation of students to be Adndtted in the program -Wrthi:r\ sixty (60)
37      days from the effectivity of this Act and every five (5) years thereafter, the LEB shall,


1      in consultation with philippine Association of Law schools and participating HEls,
2      and upon the assessment of the shortage of legal practitioners in the public sector,
3      determine  the  appropriate  number  and  geographic  allocation  of  scholars  to  be
4     admitted inthe program.
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6      Sec  10.  Role  a/ CH£D  -  The  CHED  shall  perform the  following functions  in  the
7      implementation of the I.SRS program:
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a)  Conduct regular information dissemination of, and recruitment to, the LSRS
Program in SUCs and HEls to ensure that there will be an adequate number of
lawyers in all the municipalities and provinces;
b)  Coordinate with the LEB, SUCs and HEls, for the integration of the legal scholar
into the public legal system;
c)   Formulate,  promulgate,  disseminate  and  implement  the  necessary  policies,
standards,    guidelines,    and    rules    and    regulations    for    the    effective
implementation of the LSRS Program under this Act;
d)  Ensure the timely and adequate release to partner-SUCs and HEls of the funds
necessary for the implementation of the I.SRS Program, and monitor the timely
and adequate release of the same by the partner-SUCs and HEls to the scholar-
beneficiaries under the LSRS Program; and
e)   Recommend, in coordination with partner-SUCs and HEls,  to the DBM the
amount necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.
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23      Sec 11. Roze a/ the SLJCs ¢7[d H£Js - The SUCs and HEls shall perform the following
24      functions in the implementation of the I.SRS program:
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a)  Monitor the progress of all scholars in their respective educational institutions,
identify those who have low or falling grades, and counsel them to improve
their academic performance;
b)  Coordinate  with  the  CHED  to  ensure  the  timely  release  and  accurate
distribution of allowances and other fees to the scholars;
c)   Make an annual report to the CHED on the performance of legal scholars and
other necessary or vital information regarding the I.SRS Program;
d)  Assist the CHED in the conduct of regular information dissemination on, and
recruitment to, the I.SRS Program;
e)  Review, modify and enhance the legal education curriculum to prepare the
scholars  to  work  in  community-based  legal  programs  to  ensure  that  legal
education programs remain up to date with recent legal developments;


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f)   Recommend strategies to CRED and LEB to improve the implementation of the
I.SRS Program;
g)  Conduct a tracer study on the whereabouts of their respective legal scholars
after graduation from their institution and submit the results thereof to the
CHED;
h)  Recommend to the CIHD and the DBM the budget necessary to inplement the
rsRS Program in their respective institutions, based on their projected capacity
and evaluation of the adequacy of the funding under this Program; and
i)   Perform such other functions as may be deemed necessary for the success of the
I.SRS Program.
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12      Sec  12.  Role  a/  LEE  -  The  LEB  shall  perform  the  following  functions  in  the
13      implementation of the LSRS program:
14           a)  Review, modify and enhance the mandatory return service requirement under
this Act to maximize the contribution of a legal scholar in community-based
legal programs and activities;
b)  Develop programs for the continuous training of scholars while serving the
mandatory return service under this Act;
c)   Require SUCs  and  HEls  to  implement and  submit  a tracking,  monitoring,
evaluation and assistance system in order to determine the whereabouts of the
legal scholars after graduation from SUCs or HEls;
22           d)  Serve as the primary consultative body of CIHD in terms of budgetary and
2 3                 administrative support requirements under the LSRS program; and
24           e)  Such other functions necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.
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26      Sec  13. Apprap7i.¢frori  - The amount necessary for the  implementation of the legal
27      scholarship provided under this Act shall be included in the scholarship program of
28      SUcs and CHED in the annual General Appropriations Act.
29      Sec 14. Sa#cfro7is -Any lawyer who has availed of the benefits under the program but
3o     fails or refuses to comply with the mandatory return service as provided under this
31      Act shall be required to pay twice the amount of scholarship, including other benefits
32      received by reason of participation in the I.SRS program: Proz#.did, That the sanction
33      imposed herein shall not apply to lawyers who fail to comply with the required return
34      service by reason of force majeure or not due to their fault or negligence.
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1      See 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations -Within stry (60) days frorr\ the e££ectiv±ty
2      of this Act, the LEB shall, in consultation with the Philippine Association of Law
3      Schools, Philippine Association of state universities and colleges and comrfussion on
4     Higher Education, promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement the
5      provisions ofthisAct.
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7      Sect  16.  SquHrtzbiJ1.fy  afl#se  -  If  any  provision  or  part  hereof,  is  held  invalid  or
8      unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall
9      remain valid and subsisting.
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11      Sec 17. Rapc¢Jz.7]g a#wse - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
12      letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent
13      with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.
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15      Sec 18. £#€cfr.z„.fy a##sc -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
16      in the official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
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18                  Approved,