Over 600 residents in Capiz received free legal aid and essential government services on 11 October 2025, as the Department of Justice (DoJ) rolled out its Katarungan Caravan.
The one-day event, hosted by the Municipality of Panay, was organized by the DoJ Action Center (DoJAC) and brought together numerous national agencies to provide on-the-ground assistance.
“Through the DoJ Action Center, we continue to fulfill our mission of making justice more accessible — especially to our countrymen in the provinces,” said DoJ Undersecretary Atty. Margarita Gutierrez, who leads the caravan.
The caravan’s services were delivered in collaboration with agencies including the Philippine Statistics Authority, Department of Foreign Affairs, National Bureau of Investigation, Land Registration Authority and the Public Attorney’s Office.
Gutierrez cited that the program reflects the DoJ’s commitment to ensuring every Filipino, regardless of location, can access justice and government services.
In addition to legal aid, the event featured a lecture on the Safe Spaces Act to promote respect and gender sensitivity in communities. Assistant State Prosecutor Atty. Joan Carla Guevarra, DoJAC program director, led the lecture, encouraging participants to become advocates for safe and respectful public spaces.
The caravan was organized in partnership with Capiz First District Representative Howard Guintu, FPJ Panday Bayanihan Partylist Representative Brian Poe Llamanzares, Panay Mayor Jonathan Besa and OIC Regional Prosecutor Louie Doligosa.
Guintu lauded the initiative, stating that programs like the Katarungan Caravan make government services truly inclusive.
“It’s not just about providing documents or legal aid — it’s about showing our constituents that justice and public service are for everyone,” Guintu said.
Residents from neighboring towns flocked to the Panay Civic Center to utilize services that would typically require travel to Roxas City or Iloilo. The Municipality of Panay expressed pride on its Facebook page for hosting the first-ever caravan of its kind in the province, calling it an initiative that “brought hope and opportunity to our people.”
“Every caravan we hold is proof that justice can be brought directly to the people — especially those in areas where legal and government services are hardest to reach,” Gutierrez said. “When we work together... we bring not only services, but also hope. This is what real public service looks like.”
