Eastern Samar seeks first family court

Eastern Samar families seeking judicial services for cases involving children and family relations may no longer need to travel far if a bill pending in Congress is enacted.

Eastern Samar Lone District Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales and 4Ps Partylist Rep. Marcelino Libanan jointly filed House Bill No. 10600 seeking to establish the province’s first Family Court to handle cases involving child abuse, domestic violence, adoption, guardianship, custody and juvenile offenses.

Gonzales noted that while the Family Courts Act of 1997, or Republic Act 8369, provides for the establishment of a Family Court in every province and city in the country, Eastern Samar still has no dedicated Family Court.

Eastern Visayas has only three Family Courts, located in Tacloban City, Ormoc City and Catbalogan City.

Under the bill, a Family Court branch would be created in Eastern Samar with jurisdiction over family- and child-related cases originating from the province.

Gonzales said the proposed court would also help ease the workload of existing Regional Trial Courts, which currently handle family-related cases alongside other cases.

Libanan said the new Family Court would strengthen the administration of justice in Eastern Samar by promoting the speedy disposition of cases, reducing court congestion and enhancing the protection of children’s rights.

“We should ensure that the people of Eastern Samar enjoy the same level of judicial protection and specialized legal services that the Family Courts Act intended to provide throughout the country,” he said.

Libanan, a lawyer, previously represented Eastern Samar’s lone district in Congress for nine years.

The lawmakers expressed hope that Congress would act favorably on the measure, saying the creation of the court would make the justice system more accessible and responsive to families and children in the province.