Message

Over the last years, the Judiciary has taken concrete steps to establish a
strong foundation for a long-term development of the Judicial Branch. One of
these steps is the Action Program for Judicial Reform (APJR), which
encompasses a wide-ranging yet comprehensive set of reform projects and
activities aimed at improving the delivery of judicial services.

Among the components of the APJR is Access to Justice by the Poor,

which cuts across all the other APJR components, as it is the inevitable
byproduct of the successful implementation of each of the reform program
components. It is also an overarching goal which all of the pillars of justice are
striving to achieve. Several factors, however, frustrate the justice system,
especially the courts, from ensuring that the poor and marginalized sectors
have access to justice. Finite resources strain the Judiciary in finding ways to
provide its services at no cost or at the very least, minimal cost.

To help achieve the purpose of the reform program to provide each and
every Filipino regardless of race, sex, creed or social status the
capability to access the court systems, the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) has provided a grant for pioneering studies or surveys
on areas where access to justice is most crucial. UNDPs invaluable support
in funding these projects provided us with important data which will be useful
in the thorough assessment of issues and problems in the present system of
administration of justice.

The surveys the National Survey of Inmates, Survey on Private Legal

Practitioners, Study on the Public Attorneys Office have generated
national baseline data and recommendations from inmates, as well as legal
practitioners from the Public Attorneys Office (PAO), Integrated Bar of the
Philippines, and the Alternative Law Groups. These baseline data can be
used by the Supreme Court in the formulation of policies and the identification
of appropriate projects and activities designed to strengthen access to justice
by the poor and disadvantaged sectors of Philippine society.

The Judiciary realizes that there are factors in the administration of justice
that are beyond its jurisdiction or control. With these reform efforts, linkages
with the other pillars of justice have been forged, and the seed for reforms
have been planted. I am optimistic that such seed will take root, as each one
of the pillars the law enforcement, prosecution, correction and
rehabilitation, and the community have significant roles to play in ensuring
that the collective voice of the poor and marginalized sectors of our society
will not remain unheard.
Message

Sustainable development and poverty reduction are the main tasks of the
Swiss Governments Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In
working towards achieving these tasks, the SDC concentrates on five
priorities: good governance, social justice, conflict prevention and
management, income-generating projects and sustainable use of natural
resources.

Good governance and social justice are key issues in any poverty
reduction strategy. In their pursuit, equal access to justice is just as decisive
an element as access to public services, information, the political system, and
economic markets.

This is why the Swiss Government, through the

United Nations Development Programme, has taken the opportunity to
support the endeavor by the Philippine Department of Justice to improve the
access to justice by the poor through its Action Program for Judicial Reform
(APJR). It is hoped that Switzerlands contribution in the conduct and
completion of the three baseline studies focusing on Private Legal
Practitioners, Detainees and the Public Attorneys Office could help in the
Supreme Courts efforts to improve the delivery of judicial services, especially
to the disadvantaged.

LISE FAVRE
Ambassador of Switzerland
to the Republic of the Philippines
Message
The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights asserts that all human
beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and are entitled to
equality before the law and protection of the law. Equal access to legal
remedy should be ensured, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or
socioeconomic class. At the core of the continuing efforts of the United
Nations to create an enabling environment for human development is the
promotion and protection of human rights around the world. The United
Nations believes that human rights and human development are
interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The United Nations believes that the
existence of an efficient justice system is integral to human development and
the promotion of human rights.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is pleased to

support the efforts of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and its affiliated
agencies to improve access to justice for the poor and disadvantaged in
particular and we hope that they will continue to make their mark as one of
the very active partner institutions in the common pursuit of human
development.

As an institution, we also believe that the poor should be able to seek and
obtain justice under laws in conformity with international human rights
standards and national constitutional norms. Such standards and norms seek
to safeguard the rule of law for all persons.

United Nations Systems Operational Activities

for Development in the Philippines
and
Resident Representative
United Nations Development Programme
Acknowledgments
The Survey of Private Legal Practitioners to Monitor Access to Justice by
the Disadvantaged is one of the three baseline studies funded by the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in support of the Supreme Courts
Action Program for Judicial Reform (APJR). This baseline study affirms the
partnership of kindred spirits who strive to enhance the present justice
systems capacity in providing greater access to the poor and disadvantaged.

Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr., is the moving force behind the Action
Program for Judicial Reform (APJR) under which this project was undertaken.
The Supreme Court Program Management Office Team Program Director
Evelyn Toledo-Dumdum, Deputy Program Director Edilberto A. Davis,
Director Nestor U. Venturillo, Finance Officer Marites O. Delfin and Project
Officer Arnel F. de Guzman provided the general coordination, guidance
and invaluable assistance in the completion of this study.

The UNDP, especially the Swiss Agency for Development and

Cooperation (SDC), provided the much-needed assistance to make this
project a reality. The UNDP Governance Portfolio Team Dr. Emmanuel E.
Buendia, Ms. Amparo Tomas, Ms. Rosanne Wong, Ms. Mary Guzman, Ms.
Jennifer Navarro and Ms. Suzette Imperial greatly contributed to the
timely completion of the study. The UNDP Development Support Service
Center Staff Ms. Ethelind B. Capuno, Ms. Jennette Montebon and Ms.
Dolores Maitim provided the necessary administrative support.

The NEDA Governance Portfolio Secretariat Director Virgilio V.

Salentes and staff also provided oversight guidance for the successful
implementation of the study.

The Arts and Sciences Interdisciplinary Network, Inc. (ASIN) conducted

this study under its able team Prof. Cristina E. Torres, Mr. Rolando G.
Talampas, Atty. Albert T. Muyot, Ms. Rachel Delino, Ms. Eliza DC.
Longalong and Ms. Jenny Barasi.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), during the watch of Atty.
Teofilo Pilando, Jr., various IBP chapters in Baguio, Cebu, and Davao,
members of the Alternative Law Groups, Inc., were instrumental in making
this study a success.

During the presentation of the findings of the study, invaluable insights

and suggestions were contributed by the participants, especially the invited
reactors who graciously lent their expertise and experience to validate and
enhance the findings. Special thanks are due to: Court Administrator, Justice
Presbitero J. Velasco; Judge Marino de la Cruz; Chief Public Atty. Persida
V. Acosta; IBP President Atty. Teofilo Pilando, Jr.; Director of UP Office of
Legal Aid, Prof. Rowena Morales; Col. Antonio Cruz of BJMP; Atty. Pura
Angelica Y. Santiago of IBP; Atty. Jose Manuel I. Diokno, Executive
Director of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG); and Atty. June
Ambrosio.
 Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Part I. INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The UNDP and the Philippine Supreme Court
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines
Alternative Law Groups
Significance of the Study
Objectives
Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Framework
Definition of Terms
Methodology
Population and Sampling Technique
Instruments Used for Mailed Questionnaire
Statistical Analysis
Focus Group Discussion Guide
FGD Participants
Literature Survey
Limitations of the Study

Ethical Considerations

Part II. PRESENTATION OF DATA AND ANALYSIS

Data About Lawyers

Demographic Profile of Respondents

Comparison of Profiles of Male and Female Lawyers
Professional Values
Lawyer Organizations Involved in Legal Assistance Program
Alternative Lawyering for the Disadvantaged
Attendant Risks and Gains
 Data About the Disadvantaged

Basic Sectors
Access to Lawyers
Types of Cases of Disadvantaged Clients

Data About the Judicial System

Provision of Legal Representation

Cost of Litigation
Delay in Court Trial
Perceptions About the Judicial System

Social Milieu of Lawyering

Regional Characteristics and Concerns

Baguio
Cebu
Davao
National Capital Region
Social Influences
Awareness of Judicial Reform

Good Practices of Lawyers Organizations

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines

Alternative Law Groups, Inc.
Profile of Members of ALG,Inc.

Lawyers Recommendation for Reforms

Conclusion
Study Recommendations

BIBLIOGRAPHY

List of Tables

Table 1 Comparison of Distribution of Populations of Systematic

 Random Sample and Lawyer-Respondents
Table 2
Sociodemographic Characteristics of Respondents
Table 3
Income Bracket of Lawyer-Respondents
Table 4
Law Schools Attended
Table 5
Comparison of Demographic Profiles of Men
and Women Lawyers
Table 6 Comparison of Practice of Male and Female Lawyers
Table 7 Sociodemographic Characteristics by ALG Affiliation
Table 8 Comparison of Lawyers Income
Table 9. Minimum Charges by Type of Fees
Table 10 Attendant Risks and Gains for Lawyering for the Poor
Table 11 Sectors Represented in the Last 5 Years by Type of Client
Table 12 Appearance in Courts
Table 13 Stages of and Party Requesting Legal Representation
Table 14 Access to Clients and Availability of Legal Records
Table 15 Cost of Litigation in Pesos
Table 16 Duration of Different Stages in a Case
Table 17 Causes of Delay
Table 18 Distribution of Responses for Perception Survey
Table 19 Mean Scores of ALG and Non-ALG Members
Table 20 Awareness of the Judicial Reform Agenda
Table 21 Examples of ALG

Acronyms
ALGs Alternative Law Group
ALG, Inc. Alternative Law Group, Inc.
ALTERLAW Alternative Law Research and Development Center
APJR Action Program for Judicial Reform
ASIN Arts and Sciences Interdisciplinary Network, Inc.
CLB Childrens Legal Bureau
DAR Department of Agrarian Reform
DARAB Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board
DSWD Department of Social Welfare and Development
ELAC Environmental Legal Assistance Center
FGD Focus Group Discussion
FIDA Federacion Internationale de Abogados
FLAG Free Legal Assistance Group
FREELAVA Free Rehabilitation, Economic, Education and Lega
Volunteers Association, Inc.
IBP Integrated Bar of the Philippines
JBC Judicial and Bar Council
JRA Judicial Reform Agenda
MABINI Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity, a
Nationalism, Inc.
MCEP Mandatory Continuing Education Program
MCLE Mandatory Continuing Legal Education
NCLA National Committee on Legal Aid
NCR National Capital Region
NGOs Non-government Organization
PAO Public Attorneys Office
PILO Public Interest Law Office
PMO Program Management Office
PNP Philippine National Police
POEA Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
PVO Paralegal Volunteers Organization
SALIGAN Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal
SWS Social Weather Station
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UP University of the Philippines
WILOCI Women Lawyers Circle
WLB Womens Legal Bureau
Executive Summary

Conditions of poverty define the circumstances that result in lack of

access to justice. A structural analysis of access to justice issues reveals
two groups of stakeholders who complement one another: the poor and the
disadvantaged as the claim holders; and judicial institutions, bar
associations and individuals (lawyers) as the duty bearers.

The present study, as part of baseline data for judicial reform, attempts to
dissect the structures and processes related to access to justice by the
disadvantaged. The lawyers perception as duty bearers are used to examine
normative protection (existence of remedy), capacity to seek a remedy (legal
empowerment), and the capacity to provide an effective remedy (adjudication,
enforcement and oversight) for disadvantaged groups with grievances
related to human rights principles and standards.1

As lawyers have an important role to play towards improving access to

justice by the disadvantaged, this study aims to determine the knowledge,
attitudes and practices of private legal practitioners towards improving access
to justice by the poor and marginalized groups.

It made use of quantitative and qualitative methods to be able to describe

lawyers perception and experiences related to the justice system. An eight-
page questionnaire was mailed to lawyer respondents whose names were
randomly and systematically generated from the IBP membership roster.
Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in Metro Manila, Baguio,
Cebu and Davao. To validate lawyer responses generated from the survey
instrument, the literature was reviewed.

A. Data About Lawyers

The lawyer-respondents were aged 25-72, and their demographic profile
may well represent that of litigation lawyers. Majority were male (70%),
Catholic (91%), married (61%). From the systematic random sample drawn
from the roster of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), 72.8% were
male and only 27.2% were female. Most of the respondents (39%) reported a
monthly income range of P20,001 to P40,000. Nineteen percent (19%)
reported a P40,001 to P60,000 range, and 13% reported income above
P100,000.

About one-fourth of the respondents (24%) said they were members of an

Alternative Law Group (ALG), a term commonly understood in its generic
context. ALGs, as broadly defined, are perceived to be involved in rendering
free legal aid, developmental legal assistance, or similar public interest
lawyering. The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) was the most common
ALG mentioned as it represents the tradition of rendering legal services
without payment.

Lawyers charge different types of fees. In cases that are not pro bono, the
usual modes of payment required are lump sum (13%), appearance fee plus
progress billing in accordance with various stages of the case (54%), contin-
gent (16%), and time charges (16%). More than three-fourths of acceptance
fees charged are P10,000 and over, while nearly half of appearance, time
charges, and termination fees are priced at P1,000 and below. While contin-
gent fees are prohibited by the code of ethics, they have become common
practice, particularly in cases associated with property or labor cases involv-
ing back-wages and other forms of settlement. Charging fees based on time
spent on a case is a common practice among law firms.

Providing legal services for the disadvantaged results in loss of income for
the lawyers (30%), who are compensated by personal fulfillment (36%),
psychological reward (18%), spiritual growth (18%), and development of
professional expertise (18%). This shows the high value that the respondents
put on rendering legal services to the disadvantaged.

All lawyers in the Philippines are members of the Integrated Bar of the
Philippines (IBP), an organization involved both in traditional legal aid and
developmental legal aid. The IBP has set up the National Center for Legal Aid
that assists in the legal requirements of indigents. Its local chapters are also
actively involved in providing legal assistance to the poor and marginalized
sectors of society.

B. Data About the Disadvantaged

The term disadvantaged captures the plight of poor clients, since many
aspects of the legal system, as well as the other pillars of justice, work to their
disadvantage. Most poor clients have no regular income and only earn
enough money to provide for their basic needs. The biggest sectors of the
disadvantaged that are provided legal representation by the lawyer-respon-
dents are the urban poor and labor (formal and informal).

This may be due to the large number of the respondents based in urban
areas, and reflects an urban bias for the practice of law in general. However,
it is noteworthy that members of ALG Inc., identified farmer groups and
indigenous peoples as their top basic sector clients, an indication that some
lawyers groups are giving priority to rural concerns.

Most of the private lawyers provided more than one of the following legal
services: representation of one of the parties in trials (29%), legal counseling
(29%), documentation (27%), mediation (11%), corporate law (3%), and
research/education (1%). This shows the range of services that lawyers
provide their clients. The lawyers who were interviewed claimed that they
exerted the same effort and enthusiasm to work on cases of pro bono and
paying clients. Some lawyers said they welcome the opportunity to be
assigned as counsel de oficio by the courts, as they see it as an opportunity
to improve professionally, and to develop good relations with the judge.
 How do poor clients gain access to lawyers? The local IBP chapter may
supply the court with a list of available lawyers who become the counsel de
oficio for indigent clients. There are also walk-in clients. Since many IBP
offices, together with the Public Attorneys Office, are located within the Halls
of Justice premises, poor clients may approach the Public Attorneys Office or
the local IBP chapter for legal assistance. Sometimes, they also approach
lawyers with radio programs or lawyers referred by their relatives and friends.
Survey data showed that it was the client himself/herself (28%) or his/her
family (23%) who asked for legal representation. In a good number of pro
bono cases (17%), the court appointed a counsel de officio.

Most ALGs work with specific communities or organized sectors, an

arrangement that facilitates legal assistance. Among affiliated organizations
of the ALG Inc., the basic sectors (farmers, laborers, women, children,
indigenous peoples, etc.) address their sectoral concerns with lawyers
identified with their organizations. Lawyers are not only involved in litigation.
Through legal education and paralegal training, they also help empower
communities and organized groups to work for their rights.

C. Data About the Judicial System

The lawyers were asked to specify at which stage in criminal litigation they
are usually summoned for legal representation, and to identify the party who
requests it. Representation of clients occurred at different stages of the case,
with 39% represented before trial, 42% during trial, and 19% during appeal.
The data showed that lawyers stood for their clients during inquest, but
majority of pro bono clients were represented only during arraignment. This
shows that lawyers are usually called on only after the case has been filed in
court. Ideally, access to legal representation should be before the case goes
to court during custodial investigation, inquest, or preliminary investigation
in criminal cases.

It was noted that, in pro bono cases, the lawyer often talks to the client
only during the hearing itself: 14% if the client is not detained and 30% if the
client is detained. This, despite the fact that lawyers can talk freely with
detained clients (95%) and there is a private place in jail where they can talk
(73%). Ideally, the lawyers should have talked with the client before the
hearing of the case. This affects the quality of the legal services provided. It is
also a cause for delay, as one reason for a postponement is that the lawyer
needs more time to study the case. It was also noted that, in pro bono
cases, it is the lawyer who often pays for copies of the documents (45%).

The cost of litigation varied for different items. Bail, transcripts, and filing
fees were the highest cost items, while serving notices and pleadings were
lowest. Transcripts had become very expensive, varying from P100 to
P150,000, according to the lawyer-respondents. The median cost cited is
P500, which is still expensive for indigent clients. During the interviews, the
lawyers observed that the reproduction of transcripts has become overpriced
and the sale of stenographic notes has become a business for court
stenographers.

Detention due to the inability to post bail has become quite common, and
poor defendants languish in jail. The amount of bail is left to the discretion of
the court upon the recommendation of the prosecutor. Lawyers of poor clients
have difficulty negotiating a reduction of bail. Lawyers also observed that the
provision of surety for bail has become a profitable industry, and, in some
places, the arresting officer is given a commission for referral.

Lawyers were made to identify the average period of time spent for case
events. No significant differences were found in the duration of events
between paying and pro bono cases. The duration of court proceedings is
very long. The average duration from filing of information to judgment is
around two years. Note, also, that the other stages have an unduly long
duration. As the adage goes, justice delayed is justice denied, and there is a
long way to go towards the faithful implementation of the Speedy Trial Act.
While the law provides for a time frame within which a case may be resolved,
the delay takes place in calendaring a case. The rules of court that liberally
allow postponement is another cause of delay.

From the perception of lawyers, the impediments to access to justice by

the disadvantaged are the costs of litigation, corruption in the justice system,
particularly in quasi-judicial agencies and at the prosecutors office. Other
contributory factors include the lack of court facilities for speedy decision-
making, lack of access to judicial information, and the slow pace of judicial
processes.

There are enough laws to protect the poor, like the Civil Code, which
provides that the courts should decide in favor of labor in cases where all
things are equal. The Constitution contains social justice provisions; and there
is a speedy trial law. But in terms of implementation, the poor become
disadvantaged when the law, as well as the rules of court, are used against
them. In many cases, it takes time for cases of the poor to be calendared
while they languish in jail. At other times, there is speedy calendaring,
particularly in drug cases involving the poor. The amount of bail is subject to
the discretion of the court. The rich can readily produce while the poor need
guarantors to be able to get a surety bond. It is suggested that the rates be
socialized.

D. Social Influences
Lawyers perceive the justice system as affected by political, geographic,
and economic factors. Because rich people have the political and economic
clout to help their cases, the court system may be manipulated to the advan-
tage of the wealthy. The justice system is also vulnerable to political influ-
ences, particularly in the matter of appointment to various positions.

While the Constitution recognizes the separation of powers, the executive

branch makes appointments to the judiciary and political connections often
become the primary consideration. The executive branch may also choose to
highlight its own judicial agenda in terms of increased budget allocation to its
priority programs. The legislative branch, which passes laws affecting the
judiciary based on its members appreciation of what is important, may also
set a different agenda and push for its own priority programs.

Various lawyers perceive media influence differently. Media exposure is

sometimes helpful but at other times can be an obstacle to justice. It depends
which side is able to use media to its advantage. Sensationalism can affect
cases in such a way that some defendants have been perceived to be guilty
even before court trial. Furthermore, it was observed that the media are not
careful about the rules of confidentiality in child cases. The media also need
training in child sensitivity.

E. Awareness of Judicial Reform

Slightly less than half of the lawyers (47%) were aware of the Supreme
Courts Judicial Reform Agenda (JRA). Of those who knew about the JRA,
38% were of the opinion that the reforms are inadequate. The lawyers who
were knowledgeable about the JRA cited the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
(37%), media (32%), and professional lawyer groups (20%) as main sources
of information.

F. Good Practices Among Lawyer Organizations

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines
The IBP is involved in both traditional and developmental legal aid. As the
IBP has the distinction of being the only organization of all lawyers in the
Philippines, it is capable of wielding sufficient influence to improve access to
justice by the disadvantaged. It has institutionalized the practice of officially
providing assistance to poor litigants through the practice of making its vice-
president officially in charge of the legal assistance program. The IBP
chapters that have put offices near or within the court premises have
physically complied with the principle of improving access to justice by poor
clients who need legal assistance.

To the extent that IBP chapters are able to provide legal assistance to
poor individuals, they are able to fulfill the traditional role of lawyers towards
achieving justice in society. As IBP officers are also perceived to be
respectable members of their respective communities, they are able to wield
considerable influence to help the disadvantaged groups. Some IBP chapters
have taken a proactive stance, by giving suggestions to the police, and the
other pillars of justice, to improve the justice system. Those that have access
to media have used it to educate the general public about their legal rights.
The IBPs national presence through its local chapters in various parts of the
country should facilitate its position as vanguard of judicial reform and
protector of the legal rights of the disadvantaged.

Alternative Law Groups, Inc.

ALGs identified with the basic sectors and affiliated with ALG Inc. have
adopted legal mechanisms advantageous to poor clients. They use an inte-
grated approach that includes research and education, and exhausts alterna-
tive means to win a case, like writing letters to the editor, holding rallies and
trying to win public opinion. This makes it easier for an ALG lawyer since the
work is not done alone. In traditional lawyer-client relationships, the lawyer
does all the work. Among ALGs, the work usually involves communities, thus
providing greater opportunity for client involvement.

The reputation of ALGs as cause-oriented, or working for public causes,

can improve the chances of a fair trial for the disadvantaged. In terms of final
outcome, getting a favorable court decision is not the only measure of victory.
Sometimes, even if the poor lose their case, it may be good enough that they
are paid compensation. Working through ALGs makes the work of achieving
justice for the poor more sustainable.

G. Lawyers Recommendations for Reforms

The respondents made these major recommendations to improve access
to justice by the disadvantaged:

A. On lawyering for the disadvantaged

1. Require new lawyers to render legal services for the disadvataged, and
the time spent could be credited to the Mandatory Continuing Legal
Education.
2. Encourage lawyers to accept cases for the disadvantaged by providing
them with some compensation or an allowance to cover costs.
3. Require law students to serve the disadvantaged sectors.

B. On the judicial system

1. Eliminate corruption in the judiciary.

 2. Strictly implement the Speedy Trial Act.
3. Strengthen the Katarungang Pambarangay so that minor cases will not
be brought to court.
4. Provide for regional access to the appeal courts.
5. Create special courts for disadvantaged groups.
6. Initiate moral reform among the court officers.

C. On court procedures and administration

1. Recruit more judges, prosecutors and PAO lawyers, and increase

their salaries to attract the best and the brightest.
2. Lower the cost of litigation, especially the cost of transcripts.
Exempt the disadvantaged from payment of fees for transcripts.
3. Enforce punctuality in courts.
4. Improve the rules of court to speed up the proceedings.
5. Give priority to cases of the disadvantaged in the court calendar, or
designate special courts for them. Improve management of court
calendars.
6. Improve the information campaign on newly issued rules of procedure,
court circulars, etc.

H. Conclusion
Lawyers, generally, are able to maintain their idealism while practicing the
profession. They sympathize with the disadvantaged. The lawyer
organizations, as duty-bearers in improving access to justice, have vital roles
to play in a democratic society. They should continue to work with
disadvantaged groups and make use of empowering strategies in lawyering
for the disadvantaged.

I. Study Recommendations
1. The strengths and weaknesses of lawyers and their organizations
should be further analyzed. This will better define their institutional role
as duty-bearers in improving access to justice for the disadvantaged.
Further studies should be conducted on the impact of the IBP, ALGs,
and other legal aid centers in improving access to justice and related
issues. These will assess mechanisms adopted by lawyer groups to help
the disadvantaged.

2. Lawyers organizations should take a pro-active role in analyzing the

strengths and weaknesses of the basic sectors with which they work.
This will serve as a starting point to improve access to justice. They
should use a community/peoples empowerment framework as basic tool
in legal aid and developmental legal assistance work. The ultimate
objective is to enable communities to help themselves. The reflexivity
 approach should be used. Here, study respondents and victims may use
the developmental legal aid initiative to reflect on, and better understand,
their conditions to be able to address them beyond the judicial
parameters.

3. Lawyers organizations should extend their reach to basic sectors in

rural and geographically isolated areas. Outreach activities in these
areas should be able to address the imbalance in the availability of
lawyers whose practice is mostly concentrated in urban areas.

4. Lawyers involved with the basic communities should intensify their

advocacy to minimize discriminatory behavior and biases against various
groups in the basic sectors. Advocacy initiatives may take the form of
training, organizing, and media activities.

5. Lawyers should be able to make use of modern technology to be able

to develop databases about disadvantaged groups, and to be able to
communicate with strategic partners on urgent issues related to access
to justice.

7
 1 Introduction

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Access to justice, along with the rule of law, is an element of democracy
enshrined in the Constitution. Thus, the consensus is that the means,
requirements and ends of such success should go beyond the exclusive
confines of the judicial system:

To obtain access to justice one must have access to resources

and access to skills. This implies that even if there are NGOs or
statefunded mechanisms to facilitate access to justice, these are
meaningless without knowledge. This assumes also that the
justice system as well as the legal system is fully operational
even if inaccessible to the poor and marginalized.1

Within the judicial system, especially one that has consistently sought to
reform itself, the crucial participation of lawyers should be understood. In the
Philippines, long-standing problems of court congestion and delay have
almost always been blamed on lawyers. Additionally, what lawyers do or fail
to do in the process of litigation, and appeal for and in behalf of their
underprivileged clients, are usually considered the manifestation of injustice,
one associated with poverty. This has caused continuing social tension,
conflict, and instability.2 As Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. has pointed out:

When persons in the fringes of national life have access to

judicial process, and when their attempts to seek redress from
the courts are not peremptorily barred by archaic concepts of
standing, the very hospitability and accessibility of our judicial
system would be the strongest condemnation of any recourse to
violence and anarchy.3

The linkage between lawyers, access to justice by the disadvantaged,

democracy and development, is the overarching theme of this research
undertaking by the Philippine Supreme Court, the IBP, ALGs, and the Arts
and Sciences Interdisciplinary Network, Inc. with the support of the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation (SDC).
UNDP AND THE SUPREME COURT
UNDP Administrator Mark Mallock Brown has remarked that the Phil-
ippines, being among the more than 60 countries (that) are poorer than they
were a decade ago and also among the Southeast Asian countries whose
population had grown tremendously at the close of the last century, continues
to be beset by problems of jobless youths and frustration at the lack of
opportunities and political freedoms. He warned that unless governments are
able to demonstrate to their citizens that they are taking successful action on
bread-and-butter (or rice-and-fish) issues, from jobs to crime to schools
and by doing so make serious inroads into poverty the dramatic expansion
of democracy might be reversed.

Already there have been serious setbacks in some countries. And nearly
half of the new wave of nominally elected governments cannot yet be
described as full democracies.4

He concluded that giving the poor access to justice, among others, could
be the key to solving the real predicament of similarly-situated peoples in the
developing world:

To promote human development successfully we need to put

politics back into poverty eradication.

That means ensuring that the poor have a real political voice
and access to strong, transparent institutions capable of
providing them with the kind of personal security, access to
justice, and services from health to education they so
desperately need.

The UNDP access-to-justice initiative unequivocally proclaims:

We should all be equal before the law. This is an essential part of democratic
governance and a part of the core foundation of any accountable and
democratic society. But in far too many countries, this is not yet the case. The
law is not equal to all - and all are not equal before the law.

UNDP has a two-fold mission in this area: To ensure that the law treats all
men and women equally irrespective of wealth, race or creed; and to ensure
that all, including the poorest and those without skills, knowledge or resources
of their own, have access to, and trust, in the law and the legal system.

UNDP should take a leading role to investigate, monitor and advocate a legal
system accessible to all, especially to poor people.5

The United Nations Development Programme, in seeking to help realize

genuine human development for countries like the Philippines has seen that
the judicial system can be an effective instrumentality for popular welfare that
ensures social and political stability. As the court is said to be the remedial
forum for legislative and executive weaknesses and wrongs, the Supreme
Court is the ultimate inspirational institution for this study, in line with its
objective of strengthening the foundations for a just society.

From March until writing time (early June 2003), the Supreme Court Pro-
gram Management Office, overseeing the overall foreign-assisted judicial
reform efforts, has given more than sufficient and efficient guidance to this
undertaking through periodic consultations, advice, and comments. Its able
leadership has also helped ensure a clear understanding of the three
component projects under the general heading of Strengthening Access to
Justice.

THE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES

The 40,461 lawyer members of the IBP have been continuously reminded
of the three-point mission of the organization:

1. To elevate the standards of the legal profession;

2. To improve the administration of justice;
3. To enable the Bar to discharge its public responsibility more
effectively.

The IBP national leaders and nine regional chapters have, in particular,
been keen on developing and expanding legal aid services to poor litigants
nationwide. Recently, with assistance from the United Nations Childrens
Fund6 and with increased subsidy from the Supreme Court and the Houses of
Congress, the IBP has consistently been an able partner of government in
extending a helping hand to the needy and the destitute. The IBP outgoing
president Teofilo S. Pilando, Jr. has emphasized the role that the IBP
members perform in social reform:

It is important to underscore that lawyers can, if they wish, par-

ticipate in the social and economic transformation of the country.
We lawyers engage in a profession that can be finetuned to
meet the demands of a changing society. Our task as lawyers is
not only to uphold the supremacy of the law but, more
significantly, to help change the system that spawns laws that
further prejudice the already prejudiced sectors of society.7

A Survey of Private Legal Practitioners to Monitor Access to Justice by the

Disadvantaged
 On the IBPs legal aid advocacy, Atty. Pilando said that the IBP shall pay
premium to economic and social rights. Without relegating matters related to
traditional civil and political rights, legal issues concerning economic
deprivation, social exclusion, environment, and technology shall receive
special attention.8

The IBP National Committee on Legal Aid is guided by the words of its
first chairman, former Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion: Adequate free legal
aid to the indigent and the needy is essential to the Primacy of the Law. As
such, the former chief justice defined legal aid as seeking to render equality
before the law a reality in actual practice, to generate the peoples faith in the
law and in courts of justice, as well as in other agencies performing similar
functions, as instrumentalities of their welfare, and to promote adherence to
the Rule of Law and, hence, peace and order. Furthermore, the IBP
developmental legal aid seeks to benefit not just an individual and his
personal interests but a class or a group of persons who face a common
problem arising out of social conflicts in society.9

In connection with this project, the IBP national office permitted the use of
its resources, helped refine the design and content of the main instrument,
endorsed this study to its members, and gave valuable insight into the
workings of the IBP in relation to access to justice. On their own, the IBP local
chapters in Baguio, Cebu and Davao cities likewise mobilized their resources
with respect to the required on-site visits and meetings.

ALTERNATIVE LAW GROUPS

ALGs seek to participate in the empowerment of the marginalized sectors

through advancing a critique of law and engaging in developmental law
practice or assistance. Moving away from traditional law practice, ALGs
opt for a multidisciplinary approach via the engagement of other professions
and fields of study.10 ALG stalwart Marlon Manuel believes that the
developmental legal practitioners see an opening in the Supreme Courts
reform program for improving access for the poor via legal and judicial
education. More educated judges, suggests Manuel, will have a better
understanding of the issues concerning the marginalized groups.11

More than 20 ALGs all over the country, under the umbrella of the 10-year
old ALG, Inc., helped in various ways in finalizing the direction and
assessment tools for their brand of lawyering. They provided concrete details
and the latest information on the legal defense of marginalized persons,
groups and sectors. With their youth, vitality and unflinching commitment to
their clientele, the ALGs seek to demystify the law by bringing it closer to
the marginalized sectors, empowering them with the basic legal skills and
knowledge to engage the law, and using it as part of their strategy to advance
their issues.12

Many ALGs in the National Capital Region, the Cordillera Administrative

Region, Central Visayas, and Eastern Mindanao helped this undertaking from
the start by helping refine the instruments used, referrals to regional
organizations, and participating in an exclusive Focus Group Discussion
(FGD) in the NCR.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The importance of this study is derived from two related considerations:

1. The need to describe and quantify lawyers perceptions on access to

justice by the disadvantaged

Lawyers have always been blamed for judicial failure in the country. However,
they have not been given enough chance to explain the delay and congestion
in the litigation process. Lawyers, also, have not been able to analyze and
describe the problems and their causes, based on first hand experience of
judicial processes. Thus, fairness or justice demands that they be allowed to
speak out on the important aspects and practices in the judicial system that
impinges on the overall outcome of the administration of justice.

2. The need to relate access-to-justice problems to the judicial reforms

No less than the Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr., has said that prioritizing
access to justice in the Philippines has meant not only multiplying courts and
increasing the number of judges, but bringing procedural rules up to date and
equipping judges and court officers, principally through judicial education, with
the competencies that attend to the demands of vulnerable sec
tors.13

Case delays caused by lawyers frequent requests for postponements have

been pointed out as one significant reason for so-called lawyerrelated court
inefficiency.14 The conduct of lawyers specified in the rules of court and in the
ethical guidelines is too often overlooked, that is, until the most recent
comprehensive Action Program for Judicial Reform, 2001-2006 (APJR). This
presented a more comprehensive analysis of issues involved. Thus, the
ability to cull and sift lawyers opinions regarding areas of possible
intervention is a desired outcome of this study. Specifying lawyers concrete
recommendations might help the judicial reform effort attain its desired
robustness, substance and transparency.

OBJECTIVES General Objective

 To determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of private legal
practitioners regarding access to justice by the disadvantaged.

Specific Objectives

1. To describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of lawyers

disaggregated according to the following variables: a. sex
b. age
c. indigenous/ethnic grouping
d. income
e. residence
f. place of practice (urban or rural).

2. To describe the perception and assessment of private legal practitioners

related to:
a. Adequacy of judicial policies to protect the poor
b. Attention and fair treatment of the poor
c. Acceleration of judicial practices

3. To describe conditions related to the following indicators of access to

justice:
a. Availability of adequate legal aid, particularly between arrest and
arraignment;
b. Access to clients and availability of legal records to lawyers in advance
for court appearances;
c. Affordability of the costs of litigation; costs and charges incurred (official
and unofficial) by case, as compared to average
costs to cover basic needs and average income;
d. Discrimination in access to bail.

4. To identify and describe barriers to access to speedy justice

by disadvantaged groups as perceived and experienced by lawyers.

5. To identify sustainable mechanisms for monitoring access to justice.

6. To identify measures to improve capability-building in civil society to monitor

judicial reforms.

7. To solicit suggestions from lawyers regarding innovative ways to improve

access to justice by disadvantaged groups.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This study is informed by recent knowledge and wisdom on the nature of

justice:
1. Justice serves to ensure and advance democracy and its institutions.

The nature of justice has been qualified by Felipe Miranda as the quality of
human relations which works towards the moral, intellectual and material
development of men in society.15 The developmental end and
democratic bias of justice, therefore, flow from the political desire and
need to realize a stable, rational, and sustainable environment that not only
permits but also ensures peaceful social interactions.

2. Justice, to be meaningful and relevant, must institutionalize access by the

disadvantaged.

The ends of justice may be served well if none get undue advantages over
another, if access is attained on account of merit, if needs are provided well
beyond token gestures and ritual implementations, if the principle of equity
(those who have less in life should have more in law) is constantly
observed.16

3. The administration justice must be constantly reformed, especially with the

participation of the society at large.

In the Philippines and in similar contexts, the rule of law and the role of
lawyers following this notion of justice have become programmatic calls for
social and national transformation. Jose W. Dioknos Filipino Concept of
Justice calls for democratic institutions and patriotic and pro-poor reform of
the structural weaknesses and defects.17 Alfredo Tadiar harks back to the
significance of the principles of impartiality and objectivity in decision-
making and equality of treatment, to affirm justice efforts that remain valid
and useful indices of justice administration.18

In theory, therefore, accessibility is the main operational qualification of

justice, in terms of social justice, that governs and realizes its
developmental, democratic, institutional, and practical tenability. The supply
side of this qualification is borne mainly by the judicial system, while its
demand side is made up of people clients, mainly the disadvantaged.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Access to justice means the ability of people from disadvantaged groups to

prevent and overcome human poverty by seeking and obtaining a remedy,
through the justice system, for grievances in accordance with human rights
principles and standards.19 Vessela Terzieva writes that two important
considerations (namely, problem and resolution) of access to justice,
include: (a) procedural obstacles to filing a complaint in court, ineffective
enforcement mechanisms, corruption, and other impediments to judicial
 protection of rights; and (b) the right to legal aid that may encompass all
procedural guarantees associated with the right to fair trial and access to
justice in a broad sense.20

The recent UNDP Kathmandu Workshop has proposed to look at the

imperatives of access to justice with respect to the following principles that,
by themselves, constitute the related broad and specific concepts in the ad-
ministration of justice that may be applicable to the Philippine setting:

Major Areas in Practice Development (Immediate Causes of Deficient

Access):

1. Normative protection a. By international and Constitutional law

(Existence of remedy) b. By legal and regulatory frameworks
c. By customary norms and jurisprudence
2. Capacity to seek a. Legal awareness
a remedy b. Legal counsel
(legal empowerment) c. Capacity to access formal and informal
justice
services
3. Capacity to provide an a. Effective adjudication and due process:
effective remedy judicial, quasijudicial, informal, and
(adjudication, enforcement traditional systems
and oversight)
b. Enforcement: police and prisons
c. Civil society oversight

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Some of the terms used in this study are used with the following
corresponding meanings:

Alternative law groups Private groups organized for the purpose of,
mainly but not exclusively, providing legal aid/probono services, seeking
judicial and legal reforms and legal empowerment, conducting legal education
and training, etc.

They are deemed alternative in the sense that: 1) they are not in govern-
ment employ; 2) they are involved in other areas of the administration of
justice apart from litigation; and 3) they have a different way of sharing in the
realization of the vision and mission of social justice, especially for the
disadvantaged.
 In the survey results presented in the next part of the study, lawyers who
identified themselves as belonging to alternative law groups in the returned
mailed questionnaire use ALG in its generic sense, and constitute the group
referred to by the general definition.

Some types of alternative law groups are:

Academe-based Groups of students and faculty members and legal

consultants providing legal counsel and aid chiefly to indigent clients.
Examples are the Ateneo de Manila University, University of San Carlos,
and Ateneo de Davao groups.

Non-affiliated groups Although these groups are organized along the

same principles, methods and objectives as the affiliated groups (e.g. ALG,
Inc.), they work independently of the umbrella organization. Examples are
fraternity alumni based organizations, especially among those who were
activists during their college days.

Afffiliated groups Groups such as those belonging to the ALG, Inc. who
have agreed on a common framework for undertaking developmental legal
aid and alternative lawyering for the poor.

Alternative Law Groups, Inc. (ALG, Inc.) The loose coalition of 22 groups
that seek to participate in the empowerment of the marginalized sectors
through advancing a critique of law and engaging in developmental law
practice or assistance. They have formally declared so in their registration
papers as ALG, Inc. For a listing of the members of ALG, Inc., see Appendix
E.

Disadvantaged Persons, groups, classes and sectors of people, com-

munities and the like who have been unable to access justice (due to
underrepresentation, lack of protection, unequal treatment, etc.) and have
generally become victims of the justice system. The poor and the
marginalized women, children, indigenous populations and the handicapped
are far too often the victims of the structural and procedural advantages
gained by others.

Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)- The national professional

organization of Filipino lawyers whose names appear in the Roll of
Attorneys of the Supreme Court. Historically, the Supreme Courts October
5, 1970 Resolution on the Commission on Bar Integration, confirmed on 17
September 1971 by RA 6397, affirmed the Supreme Courts power to adopt
rules of court to effect the integration of the Philippine Bar. These constitute
the legal bases for the foundation of the integrated bar or the IBP. On 9
January 1973, the Supreme Court ordained the integration of the Bar in
accordance with its Rule 139-A, effective January 16, 1973.

Lawyer Person admitted to the Bar and practicing the law profession.

Legal aid Assistance by lawyers and lawyers groups, chiefly in the form of
 advice and counsel for identified indigent clientele for client-based, issue-
based, etc. purposes.21

Marginalized Persons, groups, communities, and the like who have been,
because of certain attributes and constraints, unable to access the benefits
of growth and development.

Poor - Economically deprived groups as a consequence of low income,

unemployment, absence of opportunities (due to educational, and other
qualifications). It generally includes persons and their families who live
below the poverty threshold.22

Pro bonolpro bono client Person or group of persons who cannot afford to
pay attorneys fees chiefly, but not exclusively, during litigation.

Public interest litigation In the words of Helen Hershkoff: Public interest

litigation (PIL) is not only a form of legal practice; it also constitutes a
political practice that affords marginalized groups and interests an entry
point into contested issues. To carry out the work, lawyers must marshal
institutional structures, organizational techniques, and resources, such as
funds and personnel. In this sense, PIL is in many respects synonymous
with what Lags calls developmental/alternative lawyering.

Supreme Court- The highest court of the land.

METHODOLOGY

This study is principally a descripted assessment of private lawyers

perceptions of the significant aspects of the judicial system involving - and as
they impact upon - the disadvantaged. It makes use of descriptive statistics
and qualitative analysis.

Population and Sampling Technique

This study used the simple random sampling method:

The IBP membership roster served as the population and sampling frame:
41,430 entries, with data on alphabetically listed lawyers names and their
respective work addresses, telephone numbers, and years of admission to
the Bar.

Excluded from the list were:

a. Names without addresses or with incomplete addresses;
b. Names whose work addresses are government agencies (based on
 entries indicated by ministry, department, bureau,
commission, city hall and other entities); and
c. Names whose year of admission to the Bar are earlier than 1969.

The cleaning up narrowed down the list to 10,000 alphabetically listed

names, which were then numbered accordingly. To systematically select
the samples at random, the total number (10,000) was divided by the
required number of original respondents (1,500). The result was an
interval of 6. Thus, every 6th name in the list was picked out as a sample
unit. The first or the start of the sampling was also selected at random. In
the event that the original samples did not return the questionnaires,
another set of 1,000 names were chosen randomly as replacement. Using
the same interval of 6, the replacement samples were picked out from the
remaining 8,500. The questionnaires were then prepared for the total
2,500 lawyers randomly selected from the list.

A majority of the questionnaires (75%) were mailed to lawyers with Metro

Manila addresses.

Only 141 questionnaires were accomplished and sent back for processing;
about 676 bore the markings Return to Sender for incorrect or unknown
addresses. The surveys very low response rate may be attributed to three
factors: (1) nature of the survey; (2) reliability of the IBP database from which
the sample was taken; and (3) lack of motivation on the part of respondents.

Area Distribution of Mailed Questionnaire

% of mailed % of lawyers
Area questionnaire who responded
from systematic
random sample
NCR 75.2 65
Luzon 8.1 10
Visayas 10.0 17
Mindanao 6.7 8
Total 100.0 100

In spite of all efforts to increase the survey yield, such as the use of
personalized cover letters, text reminders, phone calls, and some incentives,
the response rate obtained was low. Despite its limitations, this study may still
offer valuable insights into private lawyers perception of, and role for, the
disadvantaged.
 Tabulated responses from 141 returned questionnaires constitute Data set
A of this study. Another group, Data Set B was likewise tabulated from a
sample of about 170 respondents from the cities that were visited. But for
purposes of analysis, only Data set A has been extensively used, since this
set comes from the random nationwide sample.

Instruments Used for Mailed Questionnaire

On each questionnaire, the recipient respondent was given ASIN contact

information (e-mail addresses, cell phone numbers, fax and regular telephone
lines) for queries and the like, to ensure questionnaire understanding and
speedy return. Some respondents requested for electronic copies of the
questionnaire and returned accomplished forms by e-mail.

An eight-page research survey questionnaire was developed, presented,

pretested at the IBP national office, with ten participating lawyers who also
critiqued the draft. All comments were used in the final version of the
questionnaire duly commented and approved by the Supreme Courts PMO.

The questionnaire consists of the following:

1. Sociodemographic data age, sex, religion, law school attended, year of

Bar admission;

2. Clientele and legal practice- years of practice in particular offices/

agencies, legal services provided, types of cases handled, membership in
alternative law group, sectors represented;

3. Availability of legal aid between arrest and arraignment stage involved in

cases handled;

4. Access to clients and availability of legal records how case records are
accessed;

5. Affordability of the costs of litigation- payments demanded and litigation

costs shouldered;

6. Access to bail- access to bail of clients; and

7. Acceleration of judicial processes/speedy trial- length of time for following

case events, and factors for delay in proceedings;

8. Perception of the judicial system and procedure Likert scale of various

perceptions;
9. Attendant risks and gains perceived and experienced gains and risks;
and

10. Recommendations- suggested reforms in the judicial process.

Statistical Analysis

Means (for quantitative variables) and percentages (for categorical

variables) were determined to describe the characteristics of private lawyers,
their clientele and practice, availability of legal aid between arrest and
arraignment, access to clients and availability of legal records, affordability of
costs of litigation, access to bail, acceleration of judicial processes, perception
of the judicial system and procedure, and attendant risks and gains.

Medians were used to describe highly skewed variables. Where ap-

plicable, the t-test or the Mann-Whitney test was employed to compare the
means or distributions of any two groups, respectively. To test the association
between two categorical variables, the chi-square test was used. Two-sided
tests were used and p values of .05 or less were taken to be statistically
significant.

Focus Group Discussion Guide

The FGD guide focused on the following: the circumstances behind the
choice of lawyering, especially lawyering for the poor; description of pro bono
clients; qualities of lawyer-disadvantaged client relationship; perceptions on
pro-poor laws; problems faced by the poor and underprivileged; measures
undertaken to protect the disadvantaged; recommendations to improve the
system of justice; and attendant risks and gains.

FGD Participants

From April to May, four FGDs were conducted in Metro Manila, Baguio,
Davao and Cebu, in this order. Three of these were coordinated with the IBP
chapters in Baguio, Davao City and Cebu City. The fourth FGD was
conducted in NCR for the ALGs whose participants were also asked to
accomplish the survey questionnaire. The tabulated responses from these
questionnaires comprise data set B.

The FGDs used a guide for discussion that solicited qualitative and/ or
validated answers on the lawyers preferential option for the poor, problems
encountered, and recommendations. The discussions generally lasted one-
and-a half to two hours.

Literature Survey

The study culled primary and secondary data from the libraries of the
Supreme Court, IBP and the University of the Philippines-Diliman. Books,
reports, monographs, journals and other on-line sources were used.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The main research tool, the questionnaire, was confined to the measures
of an effective access to justice, namely, the concepts of availability,
affordability, access, and speed. But seeking to detail these concepts in the
concrete circumstances of lawyers produced a rather long questionnaire that
may have been cumbersome for some. Low return rate of questionnaires
despite the endorsement from the IBP and Supreme Court must have
affected the objectives. The brief period (30 days) between receipt and
requested return date may also account for the low turnover. Likewise, the
outdated IBP database proved unreliable as about 600 questionnaires were
returned to ASIN due to incorrect or unknown addressees. Requests for on-
line updating on contact information of IBP members were apparently
unheeded.

The FGDs were one forum for the qualitative responses needed but more
of these would certainly have been more costly and tedious.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

This study sought to comply with all generally accepted ethical con-
siderations in social science research, such as respect for anonymity/identity,
adherence to confidentiality, and the general and specific cultural/ gender
sensitivities built into the questionnaire and FGD guide. Although FGD
discussions were recorded and duly marked on audiotapes, requests for non-
inclusion in citations in this study have been duly noted and respected. Cases
and/or identities were not mentioned, and hints at client or case identity
avoided, at the behest of the facilitator.
1
Choudree, Rajesh. (UNDP Governance Center, Oslo, Access to Justice Adviser). Poverty
and Access to Justice: An Overview. 18 March 2002.
2
Crime volume has increased by about 15 % as of the third quarter last year 2002, while
the polices crime- solving efficiency has rating of -2.2%. See Philippine National Police,
Crime Trends, at http://www.pnp.gov.ph/highlights/Crime%20Trends_Oct2002.htm. Other
useful court case and crime trends statistics are available at http://www.virtual-
asia.com/ph/. Some ideologically inspired attempts to link poverty to crime include, for
example, the statement that the increasing number of petty crimes (is) induced by
poverty. (Ibon Foundation, 2002: A tough year for the poor, 17 January 2003, at
http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/press_release/pr2003_0117_01.htm.)
3
Davide, Hilario G. Jr. The Judicial Response to Terrorism: National Venue. Speech at
Strasburg Conference, 2002.

4 Brown, Mark Mallock. Power of Democracy and its Critical Importance to Development.
Address by the UNDP Administrator at the Launch of the Human Development Report
2002, Manila, Philippines, 24 July 2002, at http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2002/
en/statements/administrator.cfm.
5
Access to Justice- An Overview, at http://www.undp.org/governance/cd/html/
access.html
6
Pilando, Teofilo S. Jr., IBP Eastern Visayas Regional Convention. Remarks on the occa
sion of the IBP Eastern Visayas Regional Convention, held at the Sabin Resort Hotel,
Ormoc City on September 12-14, 2002, at http://www.ibp.org.ph/mainframe/prespage/
prespage006.htm.
7
Teofilo S. Pilando, Jr. The Role of Lawyers in Our Countrys Socioeconomic
Development, Message of IBP National President for the IBP Central Luzon Region
Convention held on February 22-24, 2002 at the Subic Bay Freeport. At http://
www.ibp.org.ph/mainframe/prespage/prespage004.htm.
8
Ibid.
9
IBP. Brief History of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. At http://www.ibp.org.ph/
mainframe/history001.htm
10
Ruiz-Austria, Carolina. Institutional Framework for Judicial Reform. Alternative Law
Groups, Inc. 2003.
11
Manuel, Marlon. The Alternative Law Groups Advocacy and the Supreme Courts
Judicial Reform Program: Necessary Complementation Towards Justice System
Reform. 2003 (on file with the author).2000. This means that in 2000, 4.3 million families
or 26.5 million Filipinos; more than one-third (34.0%) of the countrys population was
living below the poverty line. These figures indicate an increase over the 1997 levels of
4.0 million families or 24.0 million Filipinos striving to make ends meet. The annual per-
capita poverty threshold or the amount required to satisfy food and nonfood basic needs
reached P11, 605 in 2000, an 18 percent increase over the 1997 threshold of P9,843.
Thus, a family of five (5) members should have a monthly income of P4,835 to meet their
food and nonfood basic needs. In urban areas, poverty incidence stood still at 15.0
percent in 1997 and 2000. In rural areas, poverty worsened by 1.5 percentage points
from 39.9 percent to 41.4 percent. See also Maria Glenda Lopez, The Poor on Trial in
the Philippine Justice System, Kasarinlan 14: 3 and 4 (1999), 69-90. (1999)
12
Araya, Alfred Jr, Alternative lawyers: Empowering the grassroots by demystifying the
 law. December 2001, at http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/features/f2001_1206_02.htm.
13
Davide, Hilario G. Jr., The Judicial Response to Terrorism: National Venue, Speech at
Strasburg Conference, 2002
14
See for example: Jan Willem Bakker, The Philippine Justice System, Leiden: Leiden
University, 1997, pp. 162-164; Myrna Feliciano and Alberto Muyot, The Philippine
Criminal Justice System, Manila: Supreme Court of the Philippines, 2001, pp. 13-14. Cf.
Vicente Mendoza, Legal Delays: Cost and Causes, Solidarity No. 112:60 (1987), pp. 60-
63; Andres Narvasa, Handbook on the Courts, and the Criminal Justice System, Manila:
1996, pp. 3536; Dematee Jesus, Raval, etal. Summary of Issues, Causes of Delay in
Courts and Proposed Solutions Discussed in Previous Seminars on the Speedy
Administration of Justice. Journal of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines 13:1 and 2
(1985), pp. 21-31.
15
Miranda, Felipe. A Concept of Justice, in Institute of Judicial Administration.
Administration of Justice: Focus on the Poor. Diliman: UP Law Center, 1981, p.10 et seq.
16
Cf. Comments by Jose Abueva, in Belinda Aquino (editor). Administration of Justice in the
Philippines: UP Assessment Project on the State of the Nation. Diliman: UP-CIDS.
(1994), 26-30.
17
Diokno, Jose W. A Filipino Concept of Justice in Institute of Judicial Administration.
Administration of Justice: Focus on the Poor, Diliman: UP Law Center, 1981. 3-9.
18
Tadiar, Alfredo. Shortfalls in the Institutional Administration of Justice in Institute of
Judicial Administration. Administration of Justice: Focus on the Poor, Diliman: UP Law
Center. 1981. 37-46. See also, comments by Marcelo Fernan and Myrna Feliciano in
Aquino, Belinda (editor). Administration of Justice in the Philippines. 39-40.
19
United Nations Development Programme. Asia-Pacific Rights and Justice Initiative
Operationalizing the Practice Concept: Visioning. Workshop Report. Kathmandu, 2829
April 2003, May 2003.
20
Public Interest Law Initiative. Access to Justice in Central and Eastern Europe: Compara-
tive Report. November 2002.
21
See Bautista, Mary Concepcion. Responsibility of Lawyers to Render Free Legal Aid,
Journal of f the Integrated Bar of f the Philippines 13:1 and 2 (1985), 95-97. The
beginning of legal aid and its modern application are discussed in Elbinias, Jesus. Legal
Aid: Delivery of Justice to All, Journal of f the Integrated Bar of f the Philippines 13:1 and
2 (1985), 8088,136. For a nuanced discussion of its definition and mechanics, see
Ponciano Mortera, The Mechanics and Administration of Legal Aid, Journal of the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines 13:1 and 2 (1985), 98-103.
22
According to the National Statistical Coordinating Board (2002): Poverty incidence in the
country or the proportion of families with per capita incomes below the poverty threshold
was placed at 28.1 percent in 1997 and 28.4 percent in 2000. This means that in 2000,
4.3 million families or 26.5 million Filipinos; more than one-third (34.0%) of the countrys
population was living below the poverty line. These figures indicate an increase over the
1997 levels of 4.0 million families or 24.0 million Filipinos striving to make ends meet. The
annual per-capita poverty threshold or the amount required to satisfy food and nonfood
basic needs reached P11, 605 in 2000, an 18 percent increase over the 1997 threshold
of P9,843. Thus, a family of five (5) members should have a monthly income of P4,835 to
meet their food and nonfood basic needs. In urban areas, poverty incidence stood still at
15.0 percent in 1997 and 2000. In rural areas, poverty worsened by 1.5 percentage
points from 39.9 percent to 41.4 percent. See also Maria Glenda Lopez, The Poor on
Trial in the Philippine Justice System, Kasarinlan 14: 3 and 4 (1999), 69-90. (1999)
 2 Presentation of Data and Analysis

The data presented here are taken from the survey results that made
use of the mailed questionnaire. Proceedings of the FGD are also pre-
sented to lend support to the survey, and findings of previous studies were
noted to confirm conclusions made.

The practice of the legal profession in the Philippines is largely done in

urban centers, with lawyers concentrated in the capital region. Drawing a
list of respondents through systematic random sampling yielded an area
distribution shown in Table 1 below.

From the systematic random sample list, 75% of lawyers come from the
NCR, the rest from the other regions. This may be explained by the fact
that the courts are basically located in urban centers. This reality makes it
essential for lawyers to establish an urban practice even if they choose to
reside in rural areas. Also, appellate courts are located in Metro Manila,
although there are plans to establish regional appellate courts. This
implies that the rural population need to access lawyers in the urban
centers to get court representation, and may result in access difficulties
among the disadvantaged sectors in the rural areas.

The lawyers that are being analyzed in this study are those who re-
sponded to the mailed questionnaire. The corresponding area distribution
of respondents is shown in the last column of Table 1.While the sample
size of respondents (141) may be small, its area distribution does not differ
much from the systematic random sample.

In terms of regional representation, 75% of the systematic random

sample comes from NCR, as compared to 65% among lawyer-
respondents. The rest come from other regions of Luzon, the Visayas and
Mindanao.

Table 1. Comparison of Distribution of Populations of Systematic

Random Sample and Lawyer-Respondents
In terms of gender breakdown, 71.8 % are male and 27.2 % are female in
the random sample list, as compared to 70 % male and 30 % female in the
lawyer-respondent group.

Some assumptions may be made regarding lawyer-respondents to the

mailed questionnaire. While many lawyers found the questionnaire too
long, those who have litigation experience, and had done lawyering for the
disadvantaged, were motivated enough to answer the survey ques-
tionnaire. Some corporate lawyers informed the research investigators that
the questions were not relevant to their practice. From the comments
given by some of those who received the questionnaire, it may be
concluded that lawyering for the disadvantaged is not a universal expe-
rience among those in the legal profession. Some pointed out that their
experience with poor litigants dated back to their student days.

DATA ABOUT LAWYERS

Demographic Profile of Respondents

The demographic profile of the respondents may very well represent

the profile of litigation lawyers, as the lawyer respondents were aged 25-
72 (median age = 37.5 years). Majority were male (70%), Catholic (91%),
married (61%), and graduated from the University of the Philippines
(26%). Other sociodemographic details of the respondents are shown in
Table 2.

It was mainly the younger lawyers who responded to the survey. Note
that some lawyers did not answer the survey questionnaire because,
according to them, it was not applicable. It could be that many of the
lawyers who render legal services to the disadvantaged are younger. The
preponderance of male respondents in the sample reflects the pre-
dominance of male lawyers in private law practice, especially litigation.
From the systematic random sample drawn from the roster of the IBP,
73% were male and only 27% were female.

Close to one-half (39%) of the lawyer-respondents reported a monthly

income range of P20,001 to P40,000, while 19% reported a P40,001 to
P60,000 range; only 13% reported income above P100,000. Assuming
that the lawyers did not underreport their income, it

Table 2. Sociodemographic Characteristics of Respondents

may be observed that most respondents do not come from the high-
income bracket lawyers. It is noteworthy that 51% of the respondents do
not earn more than P50,000 per month. This shows that majority of those
who render legal services for the disadvantaged earn less than the junior
associates in leading Makati law firms. (Table 3)
Table 3. Income Bracket of Lawyer-Respondents

Table 4. Law Schools Attended

 Table 5. Comparison of Demographic Profiles of Men and Women
Lawyers

Most of the respondents come from the University of the Philippines

(26%) and the Ateneo Law School (19%), two schools known for providing
free legal aid to the poor.
 The private legal practitioners were asked to describe the nature of
their practice. Of the total 224 responses, 44% were in law firms and 24%
in solo practice. Other lawyers held positions in business firms (7%), the
academe (9%), nongovernment organizations (7%) and other sectors
(9%).

Comparison of Profiles of Male and Female Lawyers

The female lawyer-respondents are generally younger than their male

counterparts, with a median age of 35 as compared to 39.5 among the
men. In terms of age, there is a significant difference between the men
(42) and the women (36.9) respondents. More than one half of the women
lawyers (54%) are single, compared to 27% for the men. This may be
attributed to their being younger, or due to the demands of a profession
where women may have less time to devote to family matters.

In terms of monthly income, there is a more even distribution of

respondents in various income categories among women than men, with
the highest concentration (40%) of male lawyers at the P20,001 P40,000
level. Note, however, that there are more men (16%) than women (8%)
who reported an income above P100,000.

There is no significant difference between the practice of male and

female lawyers as shown in Table 6 below, but some features are worth
noting. There is a higher percentage of men lawyers in law firms and solo
practice, but a higher percentage of women lawyers in the academe
and NGOs. One woman lawyer in the FGD explained that some big law
offices in Manila are male-dominated, with women-lawyers given nego-
tiation tasks while the men do the litigation. This type of role delineation is
further confirmed by a description of legal services lawyers performed.

Table 6. Comparison of Practice of Male and Female Lawyers

 When lawyers were made to describe the legal services they rendered,
the highest number of men (30%) made representation in court, while the
highest percentage of women reported legal counseling (31%). In terms of
types of cases handled, there is even and similar distribution of various
types among men and women. In terms of fees charged, a

higher percentage of male lawyers would accept payment in kind

(M=49%:F=28%) and charge additional fees when the case is appealed
(M=84%:F=65%). Also, a higher percentage of male lawyers declined a
case (M=89%: F=72%).

Professional Values
 Lawyers who participated in the regional focus group discussions were
asked why they chose the law profession. There were different reasons
given, ranging from parent-lawyers to national historical figures like
Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmefa as role models. Some were student
activists and members of human rights groups during the Marcos era who
saw an opportunity in the law profession to continue their sociopolitical
advocacy. Some wanted to help the poor and looked at the law profession
as a means to obtain justice for them. Some cited religious reasons, with
helping the poor being a fulfillment of the dictum: A Person for Others.

Provision of legal aid for the poor was considered as a means of thank-
ing God for passing the Bar examinations. One lawyer became involved in
free legal assistance to complement the alternative practice of the wife,
who did work for women and children. The practice of lawyering for the
poor is perceived as a means of service to society, and a lawyer feels ful-
filled as a result.

The interviews show that the lawyer-respondents have maintained their

idealism. They view the law profession as a golden opportunity not only to
excel professionally, but also as a means to work for justice in Philippine
society. In a previous perception survey of lawyers conducted by the
Social Weather Station (SWS Survey of Lawyers, 1994-1995), re-
spondents expressed satisfaction with their work, since they perceive
people to have a high regard for the law profession.

The lawyers were also able to share their experience in free legal as-
sistance in law schools. Some FGD participants were in charge of the
office for free legal assistance in schools where they were affiliated. Law-
yers from the Ateneo de Davao, the Ateneo de Manila, and the University
of the Philippines explained their programs, and how they are able to
develop a core of dedicated volunteers who provide free legal assistance
to disadvantaged groups. Law students on practicum, who attended vari-
ous FGDs, confirmed the important role of law schools and legal education
in molding lawyers with a social conscience.

University-based legal aid centers allow law students to immerse them-

selves and gain experience in lawyering for the poor, and they are given
the opportunity to work with basic sector communities (peasants, laborers,
indigenous peoples, etc.) For its students, the UP has introduced an
elective subject on Law and Society.

Work with alternative law groups is not limited to taking up cases in court,
as paralegal assistance is very much part of the experience. Students are
thus introduced to alternative forms of settling disputes outside of the
litigation process. They have conducted researches to help get an
injunction order, or they join picket lines to help poor communities gain
public attention.

One of the most important lessons law students learn is that commu-
nities should be empowered to help themselves. Community immersion
and integration work with the basic sectors has become an important
factor in the formation of democratic values among lawyers. Lawyers
perception of the importance of practicum confirms earlier findings where
lawyers expressed the view that legal education should stress more
practicum and less detailed memorization. (SWS, 1994 -1995)

Lawyer Organizations Involved in Legal Assistance Programs

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines is the official organization of

lawyers established by Republic Act No. 6397, which confirmed the power
of the Supreme Court to effect the integration of the Philippine Bar. Presi-
dential Decree. No. 181, promulgated on May 4, 1973, created the IBP as
a corporate body, and provided government assistance to enable the or-
ganization to accomplish its purposes. The National Committee on Legal
Aid (NCLA) implements the IBP Legal Aid Program and coordinates with
83 legal aid committees nationwide. Its activities are generally classified
into traditional legal aid and developmental legal aid.

Traditional legal aid is defined as extending legal assistance to quali-

fied clients by way of legal advice or opinion, counseling, and legal rep-
resentation before courts of justice or quasi-judicial and similar bodies.
Developmental legal aid is lawyering for public-interest causes and in-
volves a class or a group of persons who face a common problem arising
out of social conflicts in society. Traditional legal aid generally involves
personal interests of individual clients, whereas developmental legal aid
involves class interests of particular groups as clients. (www.ibp.org.ph)

Traditional legal aid has also been provided for by civic and profes-
sional organizations like FLAG and women lawyer organizations like FIDA,
WILOCI. During the martial law years, human rights lawyers formed
MABINI and similar groups to assist victim of human rights abuses. But
most of these organizations have also branched out into developmental
legal aid. As a consequence of the evolution of developmental legal aid,
alternative law groups (ALGs) have emerged, with each organization spe-
cializing in the legal requirements of a basic social sector.

An interview of alternative law groups associated with SALIGAN

provided information about the nature of ALGs and the scope of the work
that they do. They explained that ALGs in the Philippines might be
compared to the public interest law office (PILO) in the West, which takes
up public-interest issues for court litigation. But the work of ALGs is unique
to developing countries, where presumably they have become champions
of the disadvantaged sectors of society. ALG work in the Philippines is
more advanced when compared to other developing countries. They are
usually identified with some basic social sectors or with single-cause
advocacy groups (i.e., environment, etc.) They may also be involved in the
following activities:

Case handling
Legislative advocacy (to change an erroneous law, judicial advocacy -
reform of court rules, etc.)
Paralegal training and education
Research and publication; and
Networking and capability-building

Alternative Lawyering for the Disadvantaged

The lawyer-respondents were asked if they were members of an alter-

native law group. This was generally defined as being involved in ren-
dering free legal aid, developmental legal assistance or similar public in-
terest lawyering. The definition was given to differentiate those involved in
lawyering for the disadvantaged from those who are not involved in this
activity. The term ALG in this section is used within a generic context.

About one-fourth of the respondents (34/141 or 24%) said they were

members of an Alternative Law Group (ALG). The Free Legal Assistance
Group was the most common ALG mentioned, as it represents the tradi-
tional legal assistance, along with professional lawyers groups like
WILOCI and FIDA. Free legal assistance provided by the Integrated Bar of
the Philippines was also classified as ALG work. For purposes of analysis,
the respondents were categorized as ALG or non-ALG members.

The characteristics of ALG and non-ALG members were compared.

The distribution of respondents by sex, income group and law school did
not vary much between the ALG and non-ALG members. However, it was
found that, on the average, ALG members were significantly older than
their non-ALG counterparts (p=.050). (Table 7)

The apparent older mean age of ALG members is explained by the fact
that the founders of the ALG are those who graduated from law school
during the last days of the Marcos regime (early 1980s) and hence would
now be in their 40s.

That 50% of ALG members come from UP and the Ateneo may be
attributed to the fact that many of the ALGs were a spinoff from organi-
zations of these schools, like UP Paralegal Volunteers Organization
(PVO), the Ateneo Human Rights Center, etc. There is a higher
percentage of women lawyers (38%) in ALGs than in non-ALGs (27%), in
contrast to a higher percentage of men lawyers (73%) in non-ALGs as
compared to ALGs (62%). There is also a higher percentage of ALG
members in the academe (14% vs.7%) and NGO work (14% vs. 4%) when
compared to non-ALGs.

Those in the ALG category earn more than the non-ALG group. The
reason may be that those who claimed to do ALG work also do private law
practice on the side. Or it may be because the ALG affiliated lawyers are
older than the non-ALG respondents.

Table 7. Sociodemographic Characteristics by ALG Affiliation

Lawyers charge different types of fees. In cases that are not pro bono,
the usual modes of payment required are lump sum (13%), appearance
fee plus installment, according to the stages of the case (54%), contingent
(16%), and time charges (16%). More than three-fourths of acceptance
fees are priced at more than P10,000 and over, while nearly half of
appearance, time charges and termination fees are priced at P1,000 and
below (Table 9). While contingent fees are prohibited by the code of
ethics, they have become common practice, particularly in cases associ-
ated with property or labor cases involving back wages and other forms of
settlement. Charging fees based on time spent is a common practice
among law firms.

Table 8. Comparison of Lawyers Income

Table 9. Minimum Charges by Type of Fees

Table 9 shows that the prevalent practice is to charge an acceptance

fee and an appearance fee for attending hearings. Acceptance fees are
usually above P10,000 (76%) while appearance fees are minimal (P1,000
and below: 48%).

Almost half of the lawyers (46%) stated that they accept payment in
kind. If the case is appealed, 79% (92/117) charged an additional lawyers
fee. More than eight-tenths (104/124 or 84%) of the lawyers admitted
having declined cases. Reasons for refusing cases include too much
caseload (62/104 or 60%) and inability of client to pay lawyers fees (17/
104 or 16%). Too much caseload may imply refusal for other reasons,
such as conflict of interest or lack of willingness to defend a particular
client.

Regarding litigation fees, most of legal aid cases are free. Some ALG
lawyers adopt a socialized fee structure to ensure sustainability. Most
lawyers are able to assess how much a client can afford to pay during the
interview. Cases are normally referred by other NGOs and government
agencies like the DSWD, DAR, etc.

Attendant Risks and Gains

Lawyering for the disadvantaged has corresponding losses and

rewards. Loss of income (30%) is compensated by personal fulfillment
(36%). Then there is psychological reward (18%), spiritual growth (18%),
and development of professional expertise. This shows the high value that
the respondents put on rendering legal services to the disadvantaged.

Table 10. Attendant Risks and Gains for Lawyering for the Poor

The scores of ALG members were compared with non-ALG members,

and an examination of attendant risks shows that loss of income was
identified as the most common risk among ALG members (23%) and non-
ALG members (34%). Non-ALG lawyers rated loss of income (34%),
emotional stress (18%), security (14%) and psychological reasons (12%)
as top risks in lawyering for the poor. These are most likely the reasons
why this group of lawyers are not involved in groups that lawyer for the
poor.

Note that loss of income is higher (34%) among non-ALG members,

indicating that income concerns may constitute the strongest deterrent to
lawyering for the poor, especially among young/new lawyers. There was
no significant difference in the response of male and female lawyers when
their responses were disaggregated, as they ranked the factors in the
same order.

Among ALG lawyers, the same risks were cited but with a different
ranking. The highest concern was still loss of income but the item had a
lower rating of 24% when compared with non-ALGs. The next top concern
is security (20%), a higher concern among ALGs. Lawyers active in
alternative lawyering have narrated personal experiences of risks to life
when representing laborers, farmers, and human rights activists.

Emotional and psychological risks are next in line, as working with

victims can exact emotional risks. There was also a difference noted in the
ranking given by men and women. Male lawyers cited gains in the follow-
ing order: 1. Personal fulfillment (35%); 2.5. professional advancement
(19%); 2.5. spiritual growth (19%); and 4. psychological reward (18%).

Female lawyers ranked the factors in the following order: 1. personal

fulfillment (37%); 2. psychological reward (19%); 3. spiritual growth (17%);
4. professional advancement (16%). Professional growth is ranked higher
by the men while the women gave higher value to psychological rewards.

During focus group discussions (FGDs) with ALGs, their members af-
firmed that loss of income is attendant to ALG work and constitutes the
greatest deterrent for lawyers to continue the work. Especially with lawyers
with families to support, the issue has to be discussed with the spouse.

Sometimes lawyers unknowingly absorb the experiences of their

abused clients, and tend to feel abused themselves. One woman lawyer
experienced depression after defending women victims. Sometimes, the
opposite effect happens, as they eventually become desensitized to abu-
sive acts. They feel the need to distance themselves from cases they take
up. In one instance husband and wife had to undergo psychological coun-
seling to overcome feelings of depression and victimization.

In terms of personal gains, non-ALG members identified: a. personal

fulfillment (38%); b. professional advancement (19%); c. psychological
reward (18%); and d. spiritual growth (17%) as top rewards for lawyering
for the poor. ALG members likewise identified the same factors but gave a
different ranking as follows: a. personal fulfillment (30%); b. spiritual
growth (20%); c. psychological reward (18%); and d. professional
advancement (16%) as top rewards for lawyering for the poor.

Based on the ranking, non-ALGs gave higher value to personal and

professional factors over psychological and spiritual factors. For ALGs,
where spiritual growth may be closely associated with personal fulfillment
and psychological reward, leaving professional concerns in fourth rank.
Note that nonmaterial concerns outrank material issues like political and
media mileage, travel and grants, in the hierarchy of values of lawyer-
respondents.

Lawyers gain personal fulfillment in proportion to the significance they

associate with the experience of lawyering for the poor, and the feeling is
influenced by a lawyers world-view and personal experience. Former
activists see lawyering for the disadvantaged as part of the continuum of
their advocacy and political beliefs in the elusive search towards a just
society. Those who are spiritually inclined see the work as the fulfillment of
becoming a person for others. Lawyers generally feel empowered by the
capabilities endowed by the profession, and they now see themselves in a
position to become change agents or to help persons or groups that need
assistance.

DATA ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGED

Basic Sectors

The term disadvantaged better captures the plight of poor clients,

since many aspects of the legal system as well as the other pillars of
justice work to their disadvantage. They are underrepresented and, as a
consequence, deprived of due process. Most poor clients have no regular
income and only earn enough money to provide for their basic needs.
They are usually the victims of anti-poor laws. The term basic sectors
was used in the survey questionnaire to refer to social groups that are
frequently associated with the poor. Poverty is used as the point of
reference in the use of basic sectors.

Table 11 shows the distribution of cases handled by type of sector and

by type of clients (whether paying or pro bono). The lawyers across
categories (ALGs as against non-ALGs; paying and pro bono) are shown
to commonly represent workers in the formal sector and the urban poor,
as the two basic sectors merited top rank in all the columns in the table
below. Among ALGs, workers in the informal sector (10%) rank third
among paying clients, while farmers (11%) and the youth (11%) are given
the 3.5 ranks among the nonpaying clients. Among non-ALGs, the youth
sector (11%) is third in rank among paying clients, while among the
nonpaying, farmers (11%) rank third, and workers in the informal sector
(10%) fourth.

Interestingly, the proportions of pro bono cases handled by non-ALG

members for the urban poor and women were higher than the proportions
of pro bono cases by ALG members (19% as against 16% and 7% as
against 2%, respectively).

Table 11. Sectors Represented in the Last Five Years by Type of Client
 Note that the biggest sectors of the disadvantaged that are provided
legal representation by the respondents are the urban poor and labor
(formal and informal). This could be because a large number of the re-
spondents are based in urban areas. This reflects the urban bias of law-
yers in general. There are very few lawyers in the rural areas.

Lawyers noted an increasing societal concern for youth offenders and

abused children, since the rights of children are now protected. Special-
ized ALGs working for children have surfaced and have taken up cases to
defend them.

Most of the private lawyers provided more than one of the following
legal services: representation of one of the parties in trials (111/374 or
29%), legal counseling (29%), documentation (27%), mediation (11%),
corporate law (3%), and research/education (1%). This shows the range of
services that lawyers now provide to their clients.

Of the cases they handled (n=483), 25% were criminal, 26% civil, 24%
administrative, and 6% others. Civil cases usually refer to money claims
and include ejectment cases, while administrative claims refer to labor
cases in the NLRC or agrarian reform cases in the Department of Agrarian
Reform Adjudication Board (DARAB).

Access to Lawyers

Individuals or groups may gain access to lawyers through various law-

yer organizations and institutions that provide legal assistance. The IBP
website explains how to access free legal assistance from the IBP.
Applicants for free legal assistance may go to the National Committee on
Legal Aid (NCLA) offices in the IBP Building in Doha Julia Vargas Avenue,
Ortigas Center Pasig City, during office hours from Monday to Friday.

In the provinces, applicants may go directly to any of the 83 local legal

aid committees. Beneficiaries coming from the NCLA offices are normally
referred to the local legal aid committee of the province or city where the
cases have their strongest nexus or connection. The NCLA, however, has
the option to directly handle cases of national importanceor significant
social impact. The various IBP units provide legal counseling and legal
representation.

The NCLA screens clients to determine if they are qualified for free
legal assistance. The double M tests are used to determine when a
person or group of persons is qualified to be a beneficiary. The first M is
MEANS and refers to a clients income. An applicant is qualified if he/ she
earns less than P14,000 annually if residing in Metro Manila, or less than
P10,000 if residing outside Metro Manila. The second M stands for
MERIT since the cause of action of the applicant must be meritorious or
have legal basis.

IBP regional chapters have adopted similar mechanisms. The former

president of the Baguio IBP chapter explained how local IBP lawyers are
assigned to handle pro bono cases. The local IBP chapter supplies the
court with a list of available lawyers who become counsel de oficio of
indigent cases. There are also walk-in clients, as the Baguio IBP office is
located within the Halls of Justice premises. The office of the Public
Attorneys Office is likewise situated within the same premises. The
lawyers who were interviewed claimed that they exerted the same effort
and enthusiasm to work on both cases of pro bono and paying clients.

Many local lawyers welcome the opportunity to be assigned by the

courts as they see it as an opportunity to develop good relations with the
judge. In a relatively small community like Baguio, developing a good
reputation with the judges is perceived as a good professional move while
providing service to the community through free legal assistance.

Poor clients may approach the Public Attorneys Office or the local IBP
chapter for legal assistance. Sometimes, they also approach lawyers with
radio programs or lawyers referred by their relatives and friends. From the
survey data, the client himself/herself (28%) or his/her family (23%) asked
for legal representation. In a good number of pro bono cases (17%), the
Court appointed a counsel de officio.

Among ALGs regularly lawyering for a specific basic sector, groups of

persons or communities have access to lawyers that work with their
organization. Most ALGs work with communities or organized sectors, and
the arrangement makes possible close and regular interaction that
facilitates legal assistance. Lawyers are not only involved in litigation, but
also in education and paralegal training to empower communities and
organized groups to work for their rights.
Types of Cases Handled in Behalf of Disadvantaged Clients

Traditionally, pro bono cases involve poor individuals charged with the
commission of a crime. Under such circumstances, the court assigns
lawyers to poor individuals who do not have access to lawyers. Lawyers
reported different types of individual criminal offenses that they have
handled for the poor. These include Batas Pambansa Bilang 22 cases,
which involve vendors who are made to open checking accounts and then
issued postdated checks as guarantee for loans given by loan sharks, and
those involving political offenders charged with heinous crimes.

Some lawyers think that the creation of special courts, like those
specifically for drug cases, has worked to the disadvantage of poor indi-
viduals, since they are readily charged with a crime and they are not in a
position to defend themselves. Some lawyers observe a trend where poor
individuals become victims of injustice in the haste to convict individuals,
and thus create a good public impression related to peace and order.
Current slang would call this pogi points. Only wealthy individuals
accused of similar crimes can afford to defend themselves.

Among ALGs with basic sector affiliation, the types of cases they get to
handle depend on their organizational links. ALG lawyers are active in
cases related to the environment, women and childrens rights, indigenous
peoples, farmers and laborers.

DATA ABOUT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

Provision of Legal Representation

The legal practitioners were asked to indicate at what stage and before
what type of court they have appeared when representing their clients.
There was no difference between the reply of ALG and non-ALGs, where
the highest percentage of cases were heard at the: (1) Regional Trial
Court, (2) Municipal/Metropolitan Trial Court, and (3) Preliminary/
Custodial Investigation. The ranking shows that many clients go through
preliminary and custodial investigation without the benefit of lawyer
representation.

A greater proportion of cases by ALG members were pursued at the

Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court, in comparison with cases by
nonALG members (p=.011). (Table 12) This may indicate the more
organized and sustainable nature of ALGs as compared to non-ALGs, who
may not have the will power and the tenacity to pursue cases up to the
appeals stage.
 The lawyers were also asked to specify the stage in criminal litigation
they are usually summoned for legal representation, and the party who
requests it. Representation of clients occurred at different stages of the
case, with 39% represented before trial, 42% during trial, and 19% during
appeal.

Table 12. Appearance in Courts

Table 13. Stages of and Party Requesting Legal Representation

Table 13 shows that the lawyers stood for most of their clients during
inquest (16%). The highest percentage (17%) of pro bono clients was
represented during arraignment. That the lawyer-respondents often rep-
resent their clients for the first time during trial (whether paying or pro-
bono) indicates that lawyers are usually called on after the case has been
filed in court. Ideally, access to legal representation should be before the
case goes to court, as in custodial investigation, inquest, or preliminary
investigation in criminal cases.

The client himself/herself (28%) or his/her family (23%) asked for legal
representation. Among paying clients, the client (37%) as the requesting
party is given the top rank, followed by a members of the family (24%).
Among pro bono cases, the family member (22%) is the most common
answer for the party that requested for representation. In a good number
of pro bono cases (17%), the Court appointed a counsel de officio. (Table
13) Requests from clients themselves account for only 18% in pro bono
cases because most pro bono clients in criminal cases are already
detained. Thus, 40% of requests in pro bono cases have to come from
family/friends and 24% from IBP assignment or appointment as counsel
de officio by the court.

Table 14 compares access to clients and availability of legal records

between paying and pro bono clients. There are significant differences in
proportions between the two groups, with regard to the time a client is
seen or talked to, and the party who pays for copies of legal documents.
Whether or not a client is detained, the percentage of clients given access
to their lawyers before the date of the hearing is significantly lower in the
pro bono group than that in the paying group. Among pro bono clients,
14% saw their lawyer only during the hearing, compared to a mere 3%
among paying clients under similar circumstances. Furthermore, it is the
lawyer who pays for legal documents in a greater percentage (45%) of pro
bono cases, compared to 11% among paying clients. As expected, paying
clients obtain (55%) and pay (87%) for the legal records in majority of
cases.

Table 14. Access to Clients and Availability of Legal Records

Note that in pro bono cases, in contrast to paying cases, the lawyer
often talks to the client only during the hearing itself (14% if the client is
not detained and 30% if the client is detained). This despite the answer
that lawyers can talk freely with detained clients (95%), and that there is a
private place in jail where they can talk (73%). Ideally, the lawyers should
have talked with the client before the hearing of the case. This affects the
quality of the legal services provided. It also is a cause for delay, as one
reason for a postponement is that the lawyer needs more time to study
the case.

Cost of Litigation, Bail, etc.

Of the 123 pro bono cases, 62% of clients can afford to pay for cost of
copies of transcripts and documents. The lawyers alleged that they had
handled cases when they were obliged to pay the cost of copies (82%),
because the client could not afford this. When inquired further about the
frequency of such occasions, 57% said sometimes, 36% many times, and
7% all the time.

The lawyers were also asked to describe other costs of litigation they
have shouldered. The cost of litigation varied for different items. Bail,
transcripts, and filing fees were the highest cost items, while serving
notices and pleadings was lowest (Table 15). Transcripts had become
very expensive (mean of P5,042.50), ranging from P100 to P150,000, with
one lawyer-respondent quoting P10,000. But the median cost cited is
P500, which is still expensive for indigent clients.

Lawyers during FGD sessions again observed that the reproduction of

transcripts has become commercialized. Lawyers reported that payments
for the transcriptions of the stenographic notes are overpriced. They said
that one page is only made up of one paragraph, typed double spaced
with big margins, and contains little text. The clerk of court is not doing
anything to adjust it or to lessen the cost. The sale of stenographic notes
has become a business for court stenographers.

Table 15. Cost of Litigation in Pesos

The cost of litigation has become very expensive, especially if we

consider the prevailing income levels in the country. The cost of litigation
becomes more expensive when one considers the hidden costs, such as
lost income for time spent in jail, for attending court hearings, and for
following up cases. Then there are also the nonmonetary costs, like emo-
tional trauma, etc.

The proportion of paying clients who were able to post bail was found
to be significantly higher than that of pro bono cases (96% versus 22%,
p<.001). The reasons mentioned for not being able to post bail were: crime
not bailable (24%), amount too high for client (25%), client has no money
or property (40%), and client refuses to post bail (1%).

The incidence of detention for inability to post bail has become quite
common. Poor defendants languish in jail for inability to post bail. The
amount of bail is left to the discretion of the court upon the recommenda-
tion of the prosecutor. Lawyers of poor clients cannot negotiate the re-
duction of bail. Lawyers also observed that the provision of surety for bail
has become a profitable industry, and in some places the arresting officer
is given a commission for referral.

Delay in Court Trial

Table 16 presents the average period of time spent for case events. No
significant differences were found in the duration of events between
paying and pro bono cases. However, it may be observed that, generally,
it takes longer for a pro bono case to progress in the court system, as
shown in table below, where additional days/months are involved, as
compared to paying clients. It is only in the item from one hearing date to
another where it takes more days among paying clients than pro bono
cases. Lawyers of paying clients possibly resort to postponement of
hearing more often and use time to their favor.

Table 16. Duration of Different Stages in a Case

 The duration of court proceedings is very long for both types of clients.
The average duration from filing of information to judgment is around two
years. Note that the various stages are unduly long. As the adage goes,
justice delayed is justice denied, and there is a long way to go towards the
faithful implementation of the Speedy Trial Act. While the law provides for
a time frame whereby a case may be resolved, the delay takes place in
calendaring a case. The rules of court that liberally allow postponement is
another cause of delay.

There are factors inherent within the court system that cause delay in
judicial proceedings involving the disadvantaged. The most common
causes of delays pointed out were congestion of court calendar, lack of
judge, and motions for extension or postponement. The proportions for
pay and pro bono cases were also found to be comparable. (Table 17)

There are causes of delay that are beyond the control of the courts,
such as lack of courts (8%), lack of judges (10%), lack of prosecutors
(6%), lack of PAO lawyers (6%). But note that some of the major causes
of delay are within the control of the courts, like: corruption in the courts
(6%), motions for extension/postponement (10%), congestion of court
calendars (12%), absence of judges, prosecutors, PAO or lawyers (8%),
and absence of witnesses (8%).

Perceptions About the Judicial System

Statements reflecting perceptions of the judicial system and

procedures were formulated. The lawyer-respondents were asked to
indicate their agreement with these statements by affixing a score of 1 for
Strongly Agree, 2 for Agree, 3 for No Opinion, 4 for Disagree, and 5 for
Strongly Disagree. The top scores are highlighted in the table below.

Table 17. Causes of Delay

 Table 18. Distribution of Responses for Perception Survey

From the perception of lawyers, the impediments to access to justice by

the disadvantaged are the costs of litigation, corruption in the system of
justice, particularly in quasi-judicial agencies and at the prosecutors office.
Other contributory factors include the lack of court facilities for speedy
decision-making, lack of access to judicial information, and the slow pace
of judicial processes.
 Table 19. Mean Scores of ALG and Non-ALG Members

Some statements were found significantly different between ALG and

non-ALG members, and between male and female practitioners. These
are shown in Table 19. The scores given by ALG members are
significantly higher than those given by non-ALG members. ALG members
feel more strongly about the inaccessibility of justice structures and the
unaffordable costs of litigation as barriers to access to justice by the
disadvantaged. Women also agreed more strongly about the lack of
sensitivity of justice personnel to the disadvantaged, and the lack of court
facilities. They also disagreed more strongly to the statement that court
decisions reinforce public trust in the judicial system.

Some lawyers claimed that people generally complain about the

services of government lawyers, which includes the fiscal and the Public
Attorneys Office, since they are perceived to be unprepared for the cases
that they take up. Some are said to be guilty of not even reading their case
histories, despite the fact that they get a percentage of the compensation.

Regarding the legal system, the lawyers involved with children sug-
gested that all court personnel should be women-and-child sensitive. It is
said that only the family courts are trained to be family-sensitive. Children
offenders whose penalty is less than six months should instead be
endorsed to their barangay for rehabilitation. In the province of Cebu, it is
only in Cebu City where there are family courts. In other parts of Cebu,
child offenders are arraigned in regional trial courts and treated like adult
offenders, while cases where children are victims get dismissed. Even in
law school, not all take up childrens rights.

There are enough laws to protect the poor, like the Civil Code, which
provides that the courts should decide in favor of labor in cases where all
things are equal. The Constitution contains social justice provisions, and
there is also a speedy trial law. But in terms of implementation, the poor
become disadvantaged when the law and the rules of court are used
against them. In many cases, it takes time for cases of the poor to be
calendared while they languish in jail. At other times, there is speedy
calendaring, particularly in drug cases involving the poor. The amount of
bail is subject to the discretion of the court. The rich can readily post bail,
while the poor need guarantors to be able to get a surety bond. It is
suggested that bail rates be socialized.
SOCIAL MILIEU OF LAWYERING

Regional Characteristics and Concerns

Baguio

In Baguio, officers and active members of the IBP are also members of
ALGs associated with advocacy groups for the indigenous peoples, women,
and environment. They lawyer for the poor and also handle labor, women,
and political cases, including ancestral domain claims. They have also
handled estafa cases, the incidence of which has increased with the entry of
money-lending individuals and organizations who lure poor vendors, for
example, to contract loans and issue postdated checks to amortize their
loans. In cases of default, criminal cases are filed against these vendors as
provided for in Batas Pambansa Bilang 22. From the perception of some
lawyers, BP 22 has made the courts the collection agents of banks and
individuals, and is partly responsible for clogging the court dockets.

Political cases handled by Baguio lawyers usually involved human rights

cases of apprehended activists and members of the NPA in the Cordillera
region. Some ancestral domain claims usually cover watershed areas that
eventually develop into environmental issues. The new law on dangerous
drugs has filled the prisons with poor people caught on flimsy charges, and
the drug courts have been slow to prosecute them, despite the IBP lawyers
representations. Students wanting to challenge tuition increases have tried
court injunctions but have realized that the process is slow, expensive, and
often to their disfavor. The main disadvantage of lawyers working in rural and
geographically difficult areas is difficulty of access, particularly when working
for indigenous peoples.

Baguio IBP lawyers are seeking a dialogue with the Supreme Court to
make suggestions for the improvement of legal procedures and other matters,
particularly those affecting lawyers working in the Cordilleras, where forms of
the indigenous justice system still govern common tribal relations. That the
Supreme Court holds sessions in Baguio City during the summer has made it
easier for Cordillera lawyers to appeal certain cases.

Cebu
Poor clients of the IBP office in Cebu City include poor walk-in clients and
those whose cases were assigned to the IBP lawyers by judges. Many local
IBP members welcome the opportunity to be assigned to a pro bono case
because it is a means of developing a good relationship with the judge. In
general, Cebu lawyers like to handle pro-bono cases because they see that
many litigants are poor. If they win the case, it can add to their worth as
litigators. It was also mentioned that a lawyer who takes
up pro bono cases should have the heart, the commitment and the money to
assist the poor. If the lawyer does not accept a pro bono case whole-
heartedly, then he may not give it enough attention. He usually has to spend
for food, transportation, and gathering of needed evidence.

The Cebu City Chapter of the IBP has always been given recognition for its
pro-active programs and social involvement. This is attributed to the good
relationship and leadership of the IBP Cebu City chapter.

One issue raised during the discussion is that PAO (Public Attorneys
Office) lawyers are continuously decreasing. Inversely, PAO cases are in-
creasing. And since there is real need to assist poor litigants, the burden is
passed on to the local IBP chapter. To answer such need, it was suggested
that every one of the 400 active lawyers in Cebu be made to handle three to
five pro-bono cases. The local IBP should also assign 10 core lawyers who
should serve in litigation cases for the poor.

Another issue is the practice by many members of the PNP and other law
enforcers of detaining poor people without the benefit of legal counsel or,
worse, without even informing them that they have the right to counsel. It was
suggested that police officers who deliberately and habitually do this be
penalized. The IBP suggested that the arresting officers should report
arrested persons to the local IBP, especially when the accused cannot afford
a private counsel.

Another problem observed: Prosecutors often investigate and file cases

against the poor even if the latter have no counsel to defend them. Or, even if
they have a lawyer, prosecutors often do not furnish the defense with a copy
of the charges. To answer this problem, it was suggested that the Rules of
Court be amended to make it mandatory for the accused to have counsel
during inquest and preliminary investigation. If the accused cannot afford
lawyer, it should be made the duty of the prosecutor to get him one during
inquest. Similarly, the Rules of Court should penalize police officers and
prosecutors who prevent the accused from getting counsel on time.

The lack of judges is another problem in the judicial system. This is due to
the low salary of judges. Another reason is that the council that selects
judges, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), is perceived to be very politicized.
If an applicant judge has no connection with the JBC members, there will be
difficulty getting the approval of the JBC. Clearly, political considerations play
a role in the appointment of judges. It was suggested that the local IBP be
allowed to nominate judges. In addition, the Supreme Court may appoint
judges de officio for arraignment purposes only. Retired judges may be
appointed for such purpose.
 On the adequacy of laws to protect the poor, the lawyers commented that
there are many laws to protect the rights of people but they are not properly
implemented. One such law is RA 7438, known as the Rights During
Custodial Investigation, wherein the poor have the right to get a free transcript
of stenographic notes. In the same manner, the participants agree that what
is wrong in the judicial system is not the laws or policies but rather the
implementation. The continuing legal education of the court personnel should
considerably improve the system.

Court appeals take long and it was suggested that there be regional
appellate courts. Sometimes an appealed case is dismissed and the lawyer
concerned is not even aware of it. The appellate courts should also make use
of alternative means of communication, like e-mail, in making notifications.
The matter of language is also an obstacle to speedy justice. Cebuano
documents have to be translated into English to make the document
acceptable. The process of mediation should likewise be strengthened to
settle cases outside of the courts.

There are active ALGs in Cebu; and among the groups that attended the
FGD were Free Lava, an ALG for children, women and the poor. It is a
volunteer association of lawyers who render free legal aid to children in
conflict with the law, who are sexually abused, etc., to women (prostitutes,
sexually abused, etc.), and other similar cases for the poor. The Childrens
Legal Bureau is an ALG for children which accepts volunteer lawyers and
paralegals to assist juvenile justice cases. The Environment Legal Assistance
Center (ELAC) that takes up cases related to the environment is active in
Cebu and has handled cases to protect fisherfolk, the natural environment,
and other related cases. Very prominent in Cebu is the role of San Carlos
University, which has established a Legal Aid Center that attracts law student
practitioners from other provinces and regions in Visayas and Mindanao to
work for disadvantaged groups.

Work with ALGs is not limited to taking up cases in court, as paralegal

assistance is very much part of the experience. Students are thus introduced
to alternative forms of settling disputes outside of the litigation process. They
do research to get an injunction order or join picket lines to help the cause of
communities.

One of the most important lessons that students learn is that communities
should be assisted in helping themselves. The FGD participants expressed
the view that the integration of work into the basic sectors is important in
values-formation for lawyers. One specific example that was cited was the
use of law students to simulate the flow of water in one area to prove the
flooding that would result from an industrial project. As getting expert opinion
can be expensive, the student volunteers did the water simulation to help the
community prove their point. The participants have come to believe that
justice is the true arbiter of conflict.

Davao
Davao lawyers who were interviewed handle cases for women, children,
laborers, farmers, civil servants, indigenous peoples, rebels, etc. There were
lawyers who came from the environment NGOs, human rights and legal aid
groups of Ateneo de Davao and the IBP. Most of them were immersed in
work for the poor, and defended their rights within and outside of the court
system. They think that lawyering for the poor is a moral and social
responsibility, and is perceived as a means of paying back their debt to
society. As the Ateneo de Davao is a leading law school in the region,
lawyering for the poor becomes a concrete manifestation of the person for
others credo of the Jesuits. But nobility of purpose is not limited to Ateneo
graduates, since most of them believe that the law should compensate for
what a person lacks in material possession. Almost all of them have taken up
pro bono cases for the poor.

It is perceived that the justice system, as well as the rules of court,

generally works against the poor. Lawyers think that policemen are often too
harsh and arrest people just to show how effective they are. More seriously,
they cited drug cases when policemen plant evidence and arrest people who
will be tried in special drug courts. The court system is neither helpful to the
poor nor ready to implement laws to protect and help the disadvantaged. The
court system imposes a lot of requirements that poor people find difficulty
complying with. The matter of posting bail has also become a profitable
business for insurance companies.

Some lawyers said that some policemen were paid commissions by

bonding companies for referrals, and for making it appear that arrests made
were voluntary surrender cases. While the prosecution recommends bail, it is
the prerogative of the judge to determine the final amount. It is also the
lawyers perception that prosecutors file cases indiscriminately. In Davao it is
common practice that they file cases even before the end of the waiting
period. The so-called Davao death squads commit human rights violations
against the poor, who find it difficult to defend themselves. The matter of
appeal has also proven difficult for poor clients, since these entail prohibitive
costs, including filing fees, transportation expenses for travel to Manila, and
very strict administrative requirements.

Their recommendations include educating communities on the law and the

legal system, training paralegals to help do the work, substituting community
service instead of imprisonment for certain types of offenses, increasing the
salaries of judges to be able to fill up the vacancies, and organizing
communities for empowerment.
National Capital Region

Metro Manila serves as the national center of ALGs. Some of the ALG
members who were interviewed were members of SALIGAN, WOMENLEAD,
KAISAHAN, Womens Legal Bureau, Ateneo Human Rights Center, and
ALTERLAW. Metro Manila ALG members have a more national orientation
than their regional counterparts. Points of discussion included developmental
law, the role of law schools, motivation for lawyering for the poor, gender
sensitivity, etc.

The respondents consider alternative lawyering as lawyering for social

justice. It is concerned more with the structures and relationship in society.
When the law is used to perpetuate social injustice, alternative lawyering
makes use of the law to work for social change. For this reason, alternative
law groups focus more on social impact rather than individual cases.

Talking about the role that law schools play in molding lawyers who are
pro-poor, the participants said that schools could indeed inspire aspiring
lawyers to have a heart for the disadvantaged through the curriculum. Elec-
tive courses that provide law students to hold their practicum with ALGs, and
immerse themselves in depressed communities, should be encouraged to
involve students in lawyering for the poor. An elective course like Law and
Society is being currently being offered in the UP College of Law. Meanwhile,
at the Ateneo Law School, the Ateneo Human Rights Center continues to
encourage and support law students to volunteer their services for the
underprivileged. Ultimately, however, the decision to pursue alternative law
practice lies with the individual lawyer.

Alternative law practice was discussed and the participants were asked if
alternative lawyering is not a way to get rich. They said that although they
dont earn as much as mainstream lawyers do, some of their organizations
allow them to earn additional income. They can accept private clients
provided that the case is not in conflict with the thrust of the organization. On
the average, lawyers stay in ALGs for four years.

However, some concerns in terms of finances are expected to be en-

countered once they raise their own families. For this reason the ALGs are
exploring means to provide additional perks, like retirement benefits to
lawyers in alternative practice.

Alternative lawyering requires being child-sensitive, gender-sensitive, case-

sensitive, and being sympathetic to clients. It involves providing legal
education to empower people.
 More often than not, it also entails shouldering the expenses when clients
are unable to pay on their own. These include documentation fees,
transcripts, food, transportation etc. In relation to their clients, it was said that
it is imperative that a community be organized before an ALG handles its
case/s. Otherwise, the lawyers will not get the kind of cooperation and
involvement they need from the community.

When asked about how they view the justice system, the lawyers said that
the judiciary is not efficient in terms of time. One possible reason is that there
is too much congestion in the courts. A participant, who once worked for a
justice in an appellate court, revealed that in many instances, cases were
dismissed on technicalities to reduce caseloads in courts, without considering
the merits of the case. Similarly, the Speedy Trial Act is perceived to be
ineffective because it is not implemented properly. In addition, the court
environment is not conducive to proper hearings. Courts in the country are
poorly maintained and are a depressing sight.

In order to improve the justice system, the participants recommended the

following: Judges should work fulltime and review cases immediately to avoid
a pileup. Judges and clerks of court should be good managers to facilitate the
speedy disposition of cases. Justice staff should also be more conscious that
justice delayed is justice denied. Everyone should be justice-sensitive. Also,
technology should be enhanced and used accordingly to speed up disposition
of cases.

Social Influences

Lawyers perceive the justice system as affected by political, geographic

and economic factors. As rich people have the political and economic clout to
help their cases, the court system may be manipulated to the advantage of
people with financial resources.

The system is also vulnerable to political influences, particularly in the

matter of appointments to the bench. While the Constitution recognizes the
separation of powers, appointments to the judiciary are still made by the
President. Congress, which passes laws affecting the judiciary based on its
members perception of what is important, also sets the priorities The
executive branch may also choose to highlight its own judicial agenda in
terms of increased budget allocation to its priority programs.

In a previous SWS survey (1994-1995), lawyers considered frater-

nity/sorority connections, pressure of politicians, public attention due to media
coverage, and pressure from relatives and friends as somewhat important
factors that influence a judges decision.
 Various lawyers perceive media influence differently. Media exposure is
sometimes helpful but at other times can be an obstacle to justice. It depends
on which side is able to use media to its advantage. In Davao, some of the
factors that helped their cases for disadvantaged groups include media
coverage and initiatives like Bantay Bata, a project of ABSCBN. Media can
work to the advantage or disadvantage of the poor. Sensationalism can affect
cases in such a way that some of their defendants are perceived to be guilty
even before court trial. However, it was observed that the media is not careful
about the rules of confidentiality in child cases. The media also need training
in child-sensitivity.

However, some members of the IBP with radio programs said that they
use media to advocate for the disadvantaged. They also get their pro-bono
clients from poor people who listen to their radio programs. But the media
hardly affect the decision-making of the courts especially the Supreme Court.
These are only used to catch the attention of the courts when a certain case
needs to be resolved quickly.

AWARENESS OF JUDICIAL REFORM

A little less than half of the lawyer (47%) reported awareness of the
Judicial Reform Agenda (JRA) of the Supreme Court. Of those who knew
about the JRA, 38% opined that the reforms are inadequate. The lawyers who
were knowledgeable about the JRA cited the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
(37%), media (32%), and professional lawyer groups (20%) as sources of
information, among others. Moreover, there were no significant differences
between the lawyers who were aware and unaware of the JRA, with respect
to membership in ALG, age, sex, and law school graduated. (Table 20)

Table 20. Awareness of the Judicial Reform Agenda

GOOD PRACTICES OF LAWYERS ORGANIZATIONS

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines

The IBP has the distinct privilege of being the official organization of all
lawyers in the Philippines, and is capable of wielding sufficient influence to
improve access to justice by the disadvantaged. It also has the distinction of
being both a private and public institution. Its membership is essentially made
up of private individuals, since lawyers become members after joining the Bar
and its funding comes from membership dues. But it is also a semi-public
institution by its government funding and it is expected to perform certain
vital public functions and to assist the Government particularly in the
improvement of the administration of justice, the upgrading of the standards
of the legal profession, and its proper regulation. Its very mission situates it
at the core of discussions related to improvement of access to justice.

In line with its mandate to improve the quality of the law profession, the
IBP has formulated a Code of Professional Responsibility. It regularly
conducts a Mandatory Continuing Education Program (MCEP), and has used
its annual convention and regional meetings to disseminate information
among its lawyer members. It has initiated a system of accrediting law
schools to ensure quality legal education through a system of incentives to
law schools that meet certain established criteria.
 The IBP has also institutionalized and expanded its legal assistance
program, available through the Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion Legal
Assistance Center. It has raised funds to expand its services for poor litigants
with meritorious cases. It has adopted a jail decongestion project to provide
for the expeditious release of overstaying detainees pursuant to applicable
rules and procedure. For the purpose, it established linkages with concerned
government agencies, NGOs, religious and civic organizations, and provides
paralegal training to their partners.

The organization is active in developmental legal aid, as it networks with

organizations in the basic sectors, such as women, children, human rights
victims, indigenous peoples and overseas Filipino workers to improve their
legal capacity to address the needs of their sectors. They have provided
paralegal training, represented poor litigants, engaged in media advocacy,
and initiated computerization of NCLA cases to improve access to justice
among the basic sectors.

Among its local chapters nationwide, the IBP has institutionalized the
practice of providing assistance to poor litigants in coordination with its
national arm, the National Legal Aid Center, and it has adopted the practice of
making the vice-president of every chapter officially in charge of the legal
assistance program. As various IBP local chapters have set up offices near or
within the court premises, they have physically complied with the principle of
improving access to justice by poor clients by making their office a contact
point between IBP lawyers and persons or organizations in need of legal
assistance and representation.

The IBP chapters that are able to provide legal assistance to poor
individuals are able to fulfill the traditional role of lawyers in achieving justice
in society. As the IBP officers are also perceived to be respectable members
of their respective communities, they are able to wield considerable influence
to help the disadvantaged groups. The Cebu chapter has taken a proactive
stance and has made representations with the police and the other pillars of
justice, with a view to improving the justice system. Those members with
access to media have used it to educate the general public about their legal
rights. With its national presence maintained through local chapters, the IBP
may be said to be in the vanguard of judicial reform and of protecting the legal
rights of the disadvantaged.

Alternative Law Groups, Inc.

An alternative law group (ALG) is a specialized group of lawyers who

advocate for a particular cause, or for a specific basic sector or a group of
basic sectors with similar concerns. It is usually part of a network of other
ALGs (ALG Inc.) who are members of advocacy and/or civil society groups.
The term Alternative Law Groups, Inc. as used in this section, refers to the
network of ALGs with specialized law practice with various basic sectors.

Regular ALG lawyers have established and maintained partnerships with

communities. They have established standard guidelines in rendering devel-
opmental legal assistance to their regular clients and they usually sign a
memorandum of agreement with them for representation purposes.

Despite their poverty, lawyers feel that the disadvantaged should share in
the responsibility of pursuing the case. Communities should be able to define
their stakes and contribute time, effort and money to pursue cases involving
them. Thus, they will remain committed to what they are fighting for. Individual
clients are generally asked how much they can contribute, while NGOs and
communities generate contributions or use outside funding to pursue their
case. While a lawyer is expected to shoulder most of the work in pro bono
cases, members of ALG Inc., because they work for specific groups or
communities, require community participation. Together with the other
members of NGOs and the community, they provide paralegal assistance and
are involved in research, education, fund raising, and the like.

The alternative lawyering approach is perceived to be advantageous to

clients from the basic sectors, as organizations affiliated with ALG Inc. are
expected to make use of an integrated approach. This includes research and
education, and exhausting alternative means to win a case, like writing letters
to the editor of a newspaper, holding rallies, and trying to win public opinion.
This makes it easier for an ALG lawyer who would no longer carry the burden
alone. In the traditional legal aid assistance setup, the lawyer is expected to
do much of the preparatory legal work. Especially if the client is detained, only
the immediate family members can be relied upon to assist.

In contrast, among ALGs, the lawyer merely acts as facilitator and

coordinator of the preparatory and support work that involves paralegal and
metalegal activities, where other members of the NGO or the community are
actively involved. There is more evidence of community and sectoral
involvement when they share in the work to pursue a collective concern or the
case of a member. In the process, members of the NGO and/or the
community learn about the rights and remedies available to them that
contributes to sectoral/community empowerment.

The reputation of ALGs as cause-oriented and working for public causes

can bolster the chance of the disadvantaged for fair treatment of their case. In
terms of final outcome, getting a favorable court decision is not the only
measure of victory. Sometimes, even when poor litigants lose a case, it may
be good enough that they were paid compensation. Working through
organized ALGs makes the work of achieving justice for the poor more
sustainable.

Cause-oriented lawyers are attracted to ALGs that give sufficient op-

portunities to advocate for their favorite sector or organized group. When
asked why they joined the alternative law groups, some lawyers said it their
way of sharing Gods blessings with others. Some women lawyers got fed up
with the dirty practices in mainstream lawyering, where women are often
discriminated upon and used to corrupt judges.

A typical ALG is SALIGAN, which is a Filipino term for basic and

fundamental. Note the emphasis on legal self-reliance and the de-
professionalization of the practice of law. Simply put, the organization wants
to dissociate the administration of law away from its traditional locus (lawyers,
the courts, and the judicial system), and bring them to the level of
communities, who should be vigilant about the protection of their rights,
knowledgeable, and legally self-reliant in seeking remedies. The SALIGAN
concept is to move away from a litigation-and lawyer-centered law practice
towards community self-reliance and empowerment.

The group has five major programs to address concerns:

a. Women;
b. Labor (including local and overseas labor, formal and
c. informal);
d. Urban poor;
Peasants (including farmers, farm workers and
fisherfolk);
and
e. Local governance.

Another ALG is the Womens Legal Bureau, Inc. (WLB). As its name
implies it is only intended to promote the interests of women. It is a feminist
legal nongovernment organization working to empower women through the
use of, and engagement with, the law and institutions. Its mission is to provide
feminist legal services and actively engage in advocacy, together with other
womens groups, to transform the law and the legal system, further the right
of women to self-determination, and the advancement of their dignity, rights
and leadership, in concert with national and global movements for alternative
development.

Table 21. Examples of ALG

Profile of members of ALG Inc.

A total of 17 ALG lawyers participated in the FGDs conducted in this

study, aged 27-57, with a median age of 34 and a mean age of 36.1, and a
standard deviation of 8.07 years. Among them, 10 (49%) are married and 7
(41%) are single. The nature of their practice is concentrated in NGO work
(39%), with some of them still active in law firms (21%) and solo practice
(14%). Their monthly income ranges from below P20,000 (41%) to P20,000
40,000 (47%) with only two individuals quoting income above P40,000.
 One ALG executive director revealed that he only receives a monthly
salary of P24,000, much less than the monthly salary of his wife. Both
husband and wife have previously come to an agreement about income and
expense sharing to enable the husband to engage in ALG work. Extra income
from related activities like research often was also channeled to the ALG to
defray operating costs.

It is interesting to note that among lawyers in this group, the most

represented basic sectors were farmers (15%) and children (12%), followed
by indigenous peoples, the urban poor, and workers in the formal sector, with
11% for each. Such data indicates that members of ALG Inc. attend to the
legal requirements of the rural population, as represented by the farmers and
indigenous peoples. This will help address the lack of access to lawyers in
rural areas, and underscores the need for lawyers groups to extend their
reach to rural areas and geographically difficult areas, including those
populated by indigenous peoples.

There is also almost equal representation in preliminary / custodial

investigation (22%) and in regional trial courts (23%), suggesting that ALG
Inc. lawyers are actively involved in various stages: before trial (40%), during
trial (39%), and during appeal (21%). There is also very high awareness of
judicial reforms (94%) among them, and their sources of information are the
IBP (25%), media (25%), and professional lawyer groups (38%).

There was no significant difference between the representation they

provided their paying and pro bono clients. Both groups were similarly
represented in various stages of the court case. They meet with their paying
clients (87%) and their pro bono clients (89%) before the date of the hearing,
with only a few cases (12%) of meeting clients during the hearing. The
records of the case were provided by the client (51%), with clients (48%)
paying for the cost of the documents. Most of the lawyers usually charge
appearance fees (61%) below P1,000 or contingent fees (26%), and they
accept payment in kind (81%).

LAWYERS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORMS

The respondents made the following major recommendations to improve

access to justice by the disadvantaged:

A. On Lawyering for the Disadvantaged

1. Require new lawyers to render legal services for the disadvantaged, and
the time spent could be credited to the Mandatory Continuing Legal
Education.
2. Encourage lawyers to accept cases for the disadvantaged by providing
them with some compensation or an allowance to cover costs.
3. Require law students to serve the disadvantaged sectors.

B. On the Judicial System

1. Eliminate corruption in the judiciary.
2. Strictly implement the Speedy Trial Act.
3. Strengthen the Katarungang Pambarangay so that minor cases will not be
brought to court.
4. Provide for regional access for the appeal courts. 5. Create special courts
for disadvantaged groups. 6. Initiate moral reform among the officers of
court.

C. On Court Procedures and A dm inistration

1. Recruit more judges, prosecutors and PAO lawyers and increase their
salaries to attract the best and the brightest.
2. Lower the cost of litigation, especially the cost of transcripts. The
disadvantaged should be exempted from paying fees for transcripts.
3. Enforce punctuality in courts.
4. Improve the Rules of Court to speed up the proceedings.
5. Give priority to cases of the disadvantaged in the court calendar, or
designate special courts for them. There should be better management of
court calendars.
6. Implement a better information campaign on newly issued rules of
procedure, court circulars, and the like.

CONCLUSION

Conditions of poverty define the circumstances that result in lack of

access to justice. A structural analysis of access-to-justice issues identifies
stakeholders who complement one another: the poor and the disadvantaged
as the claim holders; and the institutions (ministries, local governments, etc.)
groups (bar associations, alternative law groups, etc.) and individuals
(lawyers, prosecutors, etc.) as the duty bearers. The present study, as part
of baseline data for judicial reform, attempted to dissect the structures
(individuals and organizations) and processes that constitute access to
justice.
 The lawyers perception as duty bearers were used to examine normative
protection (existence of remedy), capacity to seek a remedy (legal
empowerment), and the capacity to provide an effective remedy (adjudication,
enforcement and oversight) for disadvantaged groups with grievances in
accordance with human rights principles and standards. (UNDP sia-Pacific
Rights and Justice Initiative, 2003) 1 Hopefully, the lawyers perspectives and
experiences will help define the impediments and obstacles that
disadvantaged groups have to face to gain access to justice and, together
with baseline data about other stakeholders, provide the starting point for
judicial reform initiatives.
The disadvantaged groups are the poor and marginalized who constitute
the underrepresented groups who are deprived of due process and become
the victims of the poor implementation of legal safeguards. Generally, the
poor are really at a disadvantage, given the prevailing practices and structure
in the present judicial system. Their lack of financial resources has made it
difficult for them to obtain justice. Some unscrupulous and corrupt
bureaucrats who implement the justice system can make life difficult for poor
individuals who are charged with commission of a crime, or for poor victims of
injustice. In contrast, wealthy individuals and persons with means and
connections have the power to maneuver through the justice system to delay
or hasten their case to get favorable judgment.

Under unjust circumstances, lawyers have a vital role to play to help the
poor gain access to justice. Many lawyers hearts beat for the poor and have
remained idealistic. They do not aspire only for material and financial
rewards, but find personal, emotional, psychological, spiritual, as well as
professional fulfillment in lawyering for the poor.

The disadvantaged groups as the claim holders need committed lawyers

as dedicated duty bearers to assist them. Lawyers, by virtue of their
professional training and means, can help the poor wade through the judicial
processes and win their case. The lawyers constitute the first line of defense
to protect the weak against overwhelming odds that are stacked against
them.

Lawyer organizations are important to enable the poor to gain access to

legal assistance, the most basic form of professional aid that lawyers can
provide. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines, professional lawyer groups,
and alternative law groups, as well as law schools, have initiated different
modalities of legal aid available to assist the underrepresented and
marginalized sectors. The government has likewise created the Public
Attorneys Office to provide free legal assistance to indigents who cannot
afford to hire lawyers. The courts have also taken the responsibility of
appointing counsels de officio for such clients.
 More important than providing legal aid, however, is the empowerment of
the disadvantaged. The practice of developmental legal aid and alternative
law groups of providing comprehensive assistance, from legal counseling to
litigation within and beyond the court system, has contributed to the
empowerment of the basic sectors. In the final analysis, there is need for a
multisectoral approach to judicial reform. The State, civil society, lawyers and
the basic sectors should move towards strengthening basic communities.
This will ensure political and economic stability, and serve as the foundation
of a just and democratic society.

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The strengths and weaknesses of lawyers and their organizations should

be further analyzed to be able to define their institutional role as duty
bearers in improving access to justice for the disadvantaged. It is
suggested that further studies be conducted on the impact of the IBP and
ALGs, and other legal aid centers, in improving access to justice and
related issues. Mechanisms adopted by lawyer groups to help the
disadvantaged will, thus, be assessed.

2. Lawyers organizations should take a pro-active role to analyze the

strengths and weaknesses of the basic sectors they work with. These are
the starting point of initiatives to improve access to justice. They should use
a community/peoples empowerment framework as basic tool in legal aid
and developmental legal assistance work. The ultimate objective is to
enable communities to help themselves. The reflexivity approach should be
used, whereby study respondents and victims may use the developmental
legal aid initiative to reflect on, and better understand, their conditions to be
able to address them beyond the judicial parameters.

3. Lawyers organizations should extend their reach to basic sectors in rural

and geographically isolated areas. Outreach activities in these areas
should be able to address the imbalance in the availability of lawyers
whose practice is mostly concentrated in urban areas.

4. Lawyers involved with the basic communities should intensify their

advocacy to minimize discriminatory behavior and biases against various
groups in the basic sectors. Advocacy initiatives may take the form of
training, organizing, and media activities.

5. Lawyers should be able to make use of modern technology to be able to

develop data bases about disadvantaged groups, and to be able to
communicate with strategic partners about urgent issues related to access
to justice.
To advance the interests of these sectors, SALIGAN undertakes these major
activities:

1. Legal literacy or alternative legal education

2. Paralegal formation
3. Litigation support
4. Organizational cases
5. Test or precedent cases
6. Sectoral and multisectoral cases
7. Policy work
8. Research and publication
9. Internship

1 UNDP Asia-Pacific Rights and Justice Initiative, Visioning Workshop Report, Kathmandu,
April 28-29, 2003.
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