Creating the SC-Technical Working Group for the "Justice for All: Enhancing Accessibility, Fighting Impunity" Programme

January 10, 2013

SUPREME COURT MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 03-13

CREATING THE SUPREME COURT-TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP FOR THE PROGRAMME ENTITLED "JUSTICE FOR ALL: ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY, FIGHTING IMPUNITY"

WHEREAS, the European Union referred to as "the EU" represented by the European Commission, referred to as "the Commission" and the Republic of the Philippines, hereinafter referred to as "the Beneficiary" entered into a Financing Agreement for the Programme entitled "Justice for All: Enhancing Accessibility, Fighting Impunity" covering a period of 72 months with a total cost of EUR10,000,000 coming from the EU contribution of EUR10,000,000 and the Government of the Philippines indicative contribution of EUR1,000,000.

WHEREAS, the overall objective of the programme is to promote an equitable access to justice and its efficient enforcement for all citizens in general and poor and disadvantaged people, including women, children, minorities, indigenous peoples, and human rights and social activists, in particular.

WHEREAS, the participating agencies for the programme consist of the Department of the Interior and Local Government as the Contracting Authority, and the following as the partner agencies: Supreme Court, Philippine Judicial Academy; Philippine Mediation Center; Department of Justice; National Prosecution Service; Public Attorney's Office; National Bureau of Investigation; Department of Social Welfare and Development; Local Government Academy; Philippine Public Safety College; Local Government Units; Philippine National Police; Commission on Human Rights; National Commission on Indigenous Peoples; Philippine Commission on Women; National Commission on Muslim Filipinos; Integrated Bar of the Philippines; Civil Society Organizations; Law Schools; Legal Non-Governmental Organizations; Barangay Human Rights Action Center; and Quasi-Judicial Bodies. TcAECH

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court En Banc issued a Resolution dated 26 June 2012, A.M. No. 12-6-16-SC (Re: Request for the Approval for the Implementation of the European Union-Philippines "Justice Support Programme entitled "Justice for All: Enhancing Accessibility, Fighting Impunity"), and approved in principle the following: (i) Court's participation in the implementation of the components of the subject EU Programme which are within the Court's jurisdiction and (ii) creation of the Supreme Court Technical Working Group (SC-TWG) for the subject EU Programme with the same duties and responsibilities when it coordinated the first Access to Justice for the Poor Project, which shall be composed of representatives from the Appellate Courts, the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA), the Public Information Office (PIO), and the Program Management Office (PMO).

WHEREAS, the SC-TWG will have the following specific duties and responsibilities to the Programme: (i) develop the workplan of the one-time docket decongestion strategy to be submitted on or before 15 March 2013; (ii) coordinate the implementation of the said workplan vis-a-vis the Justice For All Programme; (iii) represent the Supreme Court in the Partner Agencies meeting; and (iv) generate technical and financial reports.

WHEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, the Supreme Court-Technical Working Group for the Programme is hereby created to be composed of the following:

Chairperson	:	(1)	Assistant Court Administrator Thelma C.
			Bahia, OCA
Vice-Chairperson	:	(2)	Atty. David L. Ballesteros, PHILJA
			Attorney IV, PHILJA
Members	:	(3)	Ms. Florisa Norina L. Carada, Planning
			Officer IV, PMO
		(4)	Atty. Mark D.R. Polonan, PHILJA
			Attorney IV, PHILJA-Philippine
			Mediation Center
		(5)	Atty. Maria Victoria Gleoresty SP.
			Guerra, Director IV, PIO
		(6)	Mr. Felicito R. Capule, SC Supervising
			Judicial Staff Officer, OCA-Court
			Management Office
		(7)	Atty. Meliecar R. Castro, Court Attorney
			IV, Court of Appeals
		(8)	Atty. Ruth M. Ferrer, Director III,
			Sandiganbayan
		(9)	Atty. Margarette Y. Guzman, Executive
			Clerk of Court, Court of Tax Appeals

The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Members of the SC-TWG shall be entitled to expense allowances as provided in Administrative Circular No. 13-99 and to be charged against the appropriate funding in accordance with the applicable accounting rules and regulations.

This Memorandum Order shall take effect immediately.

Issued this 10th day of January 2013.

(SGD.) MARIA LOURDES P. A. SERENOChief Justice

(SGD.) ANTONIO T. CARPIOAssociate Justice

(SGD.) PRESBITERO J. VELASCO, JR.Associate Justice