PARAÑAQUE 2nd District Rep. Brian Yamsuan said that House Bill 9476, which he filed on May 28, aims to institutionalize mobile legal clinics and barangay legal aid desks.
”By placing capable legal volunteers within communities, this bill will enable residents to receive immediate assistance without the burden of engaging a private counsel, or spending time and money traveling to city centers or the courts for free legal assistance,” Yamsuan said.
Under the bill, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) will run the mobile clinics to bring legal aid to far-flung areas. These shall be staffed by PAO lawyers, paralegals, accredited volunteer lawyers, law student interns and legal aid volunteers.
The mobile legal clinics shall be fully equipped with vehicles deployed regularly to remote and underserved areas, providing legal services, including consultation and advice; mediation and conciliation services; assistance in labor disputes, land conflicts, family law cases, consumer protection and notarization of documents; and public legal education sessions.
Under the bill, volunteer lawyers shall be entitled to mandatory continuing legal education credits, tax deductions for pro bono legal services and law internship credits for students in state-run law schools.
The bill sought to create a Barangay Legal Assistance Council that would oversee its implementation. The council shall be composed of representatives from the DOJ, PAO, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, state-run law schools and relevant civil society organizations. REINA TOLENTINO
