Supreme Court associate justices conducted regional consultations to get feedback and recommendations regarding the drafting of the Unified Legal Aid Service (ULAS) rules for the for the possibility of lawyers giving pro bono services to indigents and marginalized sectors of society.
Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, chairperson of the technical working group to draft the ULAS rules, addressed the participants at the second leg of the ULAS Regional Consultations, held on 18 April 2024 at Xavier UniversityAteneo de Cagayan, Cagayan De Oro City.
The four-leg ULAS Regional Consultations serves as a platform for stakeholders to share their feedback and recommendations regarding the draft ULAS Rules.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao, co-lead justice of the Cagayan De Oro consultation, encouraged Muslim lawyers to submit their input and suggestions on the draft ULAS Rules in the CDO leg which was described as unique since it is the only leg of the ULAS Regional Consultations in which another justice, Justice Dimaampao, was engaged to co-lead the event, alongside the ULAS Technical Working Group Chairperson, Justice Caguioa.
With the ULAS consultations, the SC is planning to impose 60 hours of pro bono legal work on all Philippine lawyers.
The pro bono legal work would cover both litigation and non-litigation work.
Under the plan, indigents, members of the marginalized sector, and non-government or non-profit organizations can avail of it.
Public consultations, on this plan, are ongoing and the SC expects' “feedback and insights" that will be taken into consideration in finalizing the rules.
Once the rules is finalized it would replace earlier initiatives that restricted legal aid service only to litigation work and did not recognize the other aspects of law practice.
The implementation of the ULAS would be significant since it will cover the high-caliber lawyers who charge a large amount of money per hour.
The ULAS Regional Consultations is supported by the Australian Government through its Fostering Advancement of Inclusive and Rights-based (FAIR) Justice Program and conducted in partnership with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
The insights of the participants will be taken into consideration in the drafting of the final ULAS Rules.
