Justice within reach
Through the DoJ Action Center and the Katarungan Caravan, the department brings legal assistance, referrals, mediation, government services, and legal information directly to communities.
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Through the DoJ Action Center and the Katarungan Caravan, the department brings legal assistance, referrals, mediation, government services, and legal information directly to communities.
Access to justice is not simply about having laws, courts, and government institutions around you. It is about making sure that when an ordinary Filipino encounters a legal problem, there is someone who can meet the challenge of listening, explaining the law, and helping him find a way forward.
The 2021 Justice Needs Survey, conducted by Social Weather Stations under the European Union-supported Justice Sector Reform Programme: Governance in Justice II (GOJUST2), provides an important background for this challenge.
The survey, conducted nationwide through the United Nations Office for Project Services, GOJUST2, found that 36 percent of Filipino adults had a justiciable issue within the previous five years, equivalent to an estimated 25.6-million adults.
The survey showed that experiencing a legal problem does not always mean knowing where to turn. Among those who encountered a justiciable issue, 37 percent did not take any action to resolve it. For those who sought help, many turned first to people within their communities, including barangay officials, family members, and friends.
These findings reinforce an important principle: justice must meet the people whenever and wherever they are.
Under the leadership of Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida, the Department of Justice continues to strengthen a people-centered approach to the delivery of justice.
Through the DoJ Action Center (DoJAC) and the Katarungan Caravan, the department brings legal assistance, referrals, mediation, government services, and legal information directly to communities — making justice more accessible to those who may otherwise face barriers of distance, cost, or unfamiliarity with the justice system.
This commitment is also reflected in the expansion of the DoJ Katarungan Offices (DoJKO).
With nine regional DoJKO offices now established, the department is strengthening its presence on the ground and bringing legal guidance and assistance closer to communities across the country.
The DoJ is likewise an active partner in the Justice Sector Coordinating Council, together with the Supreme Court and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Through this coordination, the justice sector works toward reforms and initiatives that improve the delivery of justice.
What does the scorecard say so far?
From 2024 to the present, DoJAC has reached nearly 80,000 beneficiaries. Behind every number is a person seeking an answer, a family looking for assistance, a victim seeking protection, or an ordinary Filipino simply trying to understand their rights.
And the work continues to bring justice closer to those who need it.
This 21 September, we invite the residents of Guiguinto, Bulacan, to join us at the Guiguinto Municipal Athletic and Cultural Center for our Katarungan Caravan.
Bring your questions, concerns, worries and legal needs. Our justice sector partners will be there to listen, assist, and help you find the answers.
We believe in justice that is actually delivered — the kind of real justice that is within reach whenever and wherever people need it.
