DoJ eyes permanent Katarungan offices
The Department of Justice (DoJ) is moving to institutionalize its legal assistance centers by establishing permanent Katarungan Offices across the country to ensure accessible justice for Filipinos facing legal challenges.
The initiative aims to transform the current DoJ Caravan and the former DoJ Action Center into permanent structures embedded within the department’s existing 18 regional, 82 provincial and 149 city offices nationwide.
These centers will offer free legal advice, mediation services, agency referrals and coordination assistance with state prosecutors.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida announced that the department is finalizing a proposal for submission to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to secure the necessary funding and structural approval for the permanent expansion.
“It is good that we are discussing the DoJ Caravan. The caravan will become permanent; we are now at the stage of submitting a proposal to the DBM so that, in accordance with the directive of our beloved President, our DoJ Katarungan Office will be made permanent,” Vida said.
“So that it is always available, in addition to our physical presence in every city, province, and region, we will also have the technology and internet access on our platforms. When you give our countrymen a place to seek help, it gives them hope, and that is the obligation of the government,” the Justice chief added.
Justice Undersecretary Garney Candelaria clarified that the upcoming centers represent an evolution of the department’s existing frontline services.
“The DoJ Action Center will become the Katarungan Offices. We are trying to propagate that nationwide so it becomes a permanent office that the public can go to whenever they have legal problems,” Candelaria said.
Through the nationwide rollout, the DoJ aims to bridge the gap in access to legal assistance by combining physical offices with digital platforms to deliver swift and reliable legal services to the public.
Candelaria said nine or 10 regions already have a Katarungan Office where people can file complaints involving cases, bullying, disputes with neighbors or employment issues.
“We already have nine or 10 regions with a Katarungan Office where people can go to file complaints regarding cases, bullying, neighbor disputes, or employment disputes,” Candelaria noted, adding that the agency is exploring social media platforms such as Facebook and Messenger, alongside existing hotlines, to expand public access.
“This is just a program of the DoJ for now. We hope it becomes an attached agency later on so it has a structure, plantilla, and budget. There are already respective hotlines for the offices, and we are also exploring social media like Facebook and Messenger for access,” Candelaria explained.
Beyond the structural expansion, Candelaria highlighted major developments in the prosecution service, noting that lawyer retention remains high because of improved competitive compensation.