A DoJ within reach
The message is simple yet powerful: justice belongs to the people and every citizen should feel that the institutions tasked with protecting their rights are responsive, accessible and welcoming.
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The message is simple yet powerful: justice belongs to the people and every citizen should feel that the institutions tasked with protecting their rights are responsive, accessible and welcoming.
Justice is most meaningful when it is within reach. It should not be confined to courtrooms or government offices, but brought closer to every Filipino seeking guidance, protection, and hope.
This principle has shaped, and continues to shape, the Department of Justice’s (DoJ) efforts to make the justice system more accessible to the people.
That commitment took another significant step forward with the launch of the DoJ Katarungan Office or DoJ KO in Region IX — the ninth regional office established under the DoJ Action Center.
Strategically located on the ground floor of the Pink Building, Hall of Justice in Barangay Sta. Barbara, Zamboanga City, the new office marks another milestone in expanding access to legal services, particularly for communities in Mindanao.
More than a new office, DoJ KO embodies a renewed philosophy of public service. Rebranded as “DoJ KO (My DoJ),” the initiative is the brainchild of Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida, who envisioned a DoJ that every Filipino can truly call their own.
The message is simple yet powerful: justice belongs to the people, and every citizen should feel that the institutions tasked with protecting their rights are responsive, accessible and welcoming.
The DoJ Katarungan Office serves as a one-stop legal assistance center where individuals can obtain free legal advice and information, mediation services, referrals to appropriate government agencies and assistance in coordinating with prosecutors when necessary. It offers an approachable frontline for those who may lack the resources, confidence, or knowledge to navigate the justice system on their own.
The establishment of the Region IX office was spearheaded by the DoJ Action Center under Program Director Joan P. Guevarra and the DoJAC team, under my supervision as the Undersecretary overseeing the Action Center. Its successful launch was made possible through the leadership of Regional Prosecutor Dennis A. Araojo whose commitment ensured that this vision became a reality.
The event was further strengthened by the presence of our dedicated prosecutors, Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso and Vice Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar whose support underscored the importance of strong partnerships between the national and local governments in advancing access to justice.
The opening of DoJ KO Region IX is not the culmination of our work — it is another step in a journey. Every new office means another community where legal help is within reach, another family that can find guidance, and another Filipino who realizes that justice is not distant or reserved for a privileged few but is available to all.
At the Department of Justice, we remain guided by a simple conviction: justice must not only be fair — it must also be accessible, compassionate, and present where the people are. Through DoJ KO, we reaffirm that the law is not merely an institution people turn to in times of conflict, but a partner that stands beside every Filipino in the pursuit of dignity, accountability, and a better future.
After all, justice is strongest when the people know it is theirs.
