Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah “Mina” F. Pangandaman has approved the creation of 178 new Public Attorney (PA) positions to address the shortage relative to the existing courts across the country.

 

Specifically, 56 PA II and 122 PA I positions have been created in the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) under the Department of Justice (DOJ), which will require P336 million annually.

 

“These additional Public Attorney positions will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the PAO in delivering legal services to the public, ensuring that every Filipino, regardless of their economic status, has access to justice and representation they deserve,” stated Secretary Mina.

 

“We are not only improving our legal system but also touching the lives of countless individuals who rely on these services for hope and fairness,” Sec. Mina added.

 

This initiative to strengthen the manpower of PAO aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s vision for a “Bagong Pilipinas,” ensuring that no Filipino is left behind.  

 

Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9406 mandates the PAO to render free legal representation, assistance, and counseling to indigent individuals in criminal, civil, labor, administrative, and other quasi-judicial cases. In the exigency of the service, the PAO may be called upon by proper government authorities to render such service to other persons, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.

 

The provision of these additional lawyer positions will enable the PAO to better manage the increasing demands for legal representation and services in the country. Based on the data from the PAO, the agency handled 787,124 cases and assisted 849,914 clients in 2021. In 2022, these numbers rose to 850,753 cases and 900,079 clients.

 

To note, the PA positions shall be lodged under the District Offices of the PAO by Region, as proposed by the PAO, to provide flexibility to the agency head in their deployment to the different cities and municipalities, taking into consideration the workload and volume of cases being handled by the offices concerned. Among others, Public Attorneys represent indigent litigants in various legal cases, conduct research, prepare legal documents, appear in trials and hearings, and engage in legal outreach activities such as inquests, jail visitations, and Barangay Legal Outreach initiatives.

 

This initiative aims to ensure that the PAO can fully comply with the prescribed ratio of Public Attorneys to organized court salas, thereby enhancing its capacity to serve the legal needs of indigent Filipinos.

 

18 July 2024

 

 

Inaprubahan ni Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah “Mina” F. Pangandaman ang paglikha ng 178 bagong Public Attorney positions (PA) upang tugunan ang kakulangan ng mga ito sa mga korte sa buong bansa.

 

Partikula na nilikha ang mga posisyon na 56 PA II at 122 PA I sa Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) sa ilalim ng Department of Justice (DOJ), na mangangailangan ng P336 milyon taun-taon.

 

“These additional Public Attorney positions will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the PAO in delivering legal services to the public, ensuring that every Filipino, regardless of their economic status, has access to justice and representation they deserve,” pahayag ni Secretary Mina.

 

“We are not only improving our legal system but also touching the lives of countless individuals who rely on these services for hope and fairness,” dagdag ni Sec. Mina.

 

Ang inisyatibang ito na layong palakasin ang manpower ng PAO ay naaayon sa adhikain ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. para sa “Bagong Pilipinas,” na tinitiyak na walang Pilipino ang maiiwan.

 

Nag-aatas ang  Section 3 ng Republic Act No. 9406 na magbigay ng libreng legal na representasyon, tulong, at payo sa mga kababayan natin higit na nangangailangan, sa mga kasong kriminal, sibil, paggawa, administratibo, at iba pang quasi-judicial na kaso. Sa pangangailangan ng serbisyo, maaaring tawagan  ang PAO ng proper government authorities upang magbigay ng ganitong serbisyo sa iba pang tao, alinsunod sa umiiral na mga batas, patakaran, at regulasyon.

 

Ang pagbibigay ng mga karagdagang posisyon para sa mga abogado ay magpapahintulot sa PAO na mas mahusay na pamahalaan ang tumataas na pangangailangan para sa legal na representasyon at serbisyo sa bansa. Batay sa datos mula sa PAO, ang ahensya ay humawak ng 787,124 kaso at tumulong sa 849,914 kliyente noong 2021. Noong 2022, ang mga bilang na ito ay tumaas sa 850,753 kaso at 900,079 kliyente.

 

Ilalagay ang mga posisyon ng PA sa ilalim ng District Offices ng PAO sa mga rehiyon, ayon sa mungkahi ng PAO, upang magbigay ng kakayahang umangkop sa pinuno ng ahensya sa kanilang pag-deploy sa iba’t ibang lungsod at munisipalidad, isinasaalang-alang ang workload at dami ng mga kasong hinahawakan ng mga kinauukulang opisina. Kabilang sa iba pang mga tungkulin, ang mga Public Attorney ay kumakatawan sa mga indigent litigants sa iba’t ibang legal na kaso, nagsasagawa ng pananaliksik, naghahanda ng mga legal na dokumento, dumadalo sa mga paglilitis at pagdinig, at nakikilahok sa mga legal outreach activities tulad ng inquests, jail visitations, at Barangay Legal Outreach initiatives.