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

Fifteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. __ 9883

Introduced by Honorable Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In ancient times, the “King's peace” guaranteed the citizens of the
realm just resolution of their disputes so as not to disrupt the existing
political order. In today's democratic society, we have institutional
frameworks for conflict resolution, foremost of which is the courts.

Justice, however, as a basic need of man, has been hampered by a
number of factors in modern Philippine society. Even relatively simple cases
have been known to languish in our courts due to moneyed interests, multi-
layered appeals, and the clogging of the dockets of our courts.

For instance, the combined caseload of the two (2) existing branches
of the Regional Trial Court in Ormoe City, Province of Leyte has been
found to be 1,562, averaging 781 cases per branch. This is a far cry from the
ideal or manageable ratio of 300-450 caseload for each branch. With judicial
reforms towards the facilitation of the caseflow of the courts taking a long
time in the coming, the more immediate remedy would be to increase the
number of courts so as to mitigate instances of “justice delayed” which is
anathema to our administration of justice in the country.

In view therefore of the urgency of this bill, which seeks to create an
additional branch of the Regional Trial Court in City of Ormoc, Province of
Leyte, its early approval is most earnestly sought.

snowmen a GOMEZ


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

Fifteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5583

Introduced by Honorable Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez

AN ACT
CREATING AN ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL
TRIAL COURT IN THE PROVINCE OF LEYTE TO BE
STATIONED AT THE CITY OF ORMOC, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (1) 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
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 14, paragraph (i) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129,
otherwise known as “The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980”, as
amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

“Sec. 14. Regional Trial Courts. —

Ss «

“(i) [Thirty-three] THIRTY-FOUR Regional Trial Judges
shall be commissioned for the Eight Judicial Region. There

shall be:


HK 3

“{Thirteen] FOURTEEN branches (Branches VI to
[XVIII] XIX) for the province of Leyte, the sub-province of
Biliran, and the cities of Ormoc and Tacloban, Branches VI
and IX with seats at Tacloban City, Branch X at Abuyog,
Branch XI at Calubian, [Branch] BRANCHES XII AND XIX
at Ormoe City, Branch XIII at Carigara, Branch XIV at Baybay,
Branch XV at Burauen, Branch XVI at Naval, Branch XVII at

Palompon, and Branch XVIII at Hilongos;

ax x

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 branch of the
Regional Trial Court in the Province of Leyte, with station at the City of
Ormoe, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC.3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers
of general circulation.

Approved,