Creation of Additional RTC Branch for Eastern Samar

August 2, 2004

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9307

AN ACT CREATING ONE ADDITIONAL REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH FOR THE PROVINCE OF EASTERN SAMAR, WITH STATION AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF BALANGIGA, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (I) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATIONACT OF 1980

SECTION 1. Section 14, paragraph (i) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as amended, otherwise known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"(i) Forty-two Regional Trial Judges shall be commissioned for the Eighth Judicial Region. There shall be:

"Six branches with seats thereat for the Province of Eastern Samar, with seats at Borongan, Guiuan, Dolores, Oras and Balangiga;

"Seventeen branches with seats thereat for the Province of Leyte, the Sub-province of Biliran and the cities of Ormoc and Tacloban, with seats at Tacloban City, Abuyog, Calubian, Ormoc City, Carigara, Baybay, Burauen, Naval, Palompon, Hilongos and Caibiran;

"Six branches with seats thereat for the Province of Northern Samar, with seats at Catarman, Laoang, Allen and Gamay; EHCaDS

"Four branches with seats thereat for the Province of Southern Leyte, with seats at Maasin, San Juan and Sogod; and

"Nine branches with seats thereat for the Province of Samar and the City of Calbayog, with seats at Catbalogan, Basey, Calbayog City, Calbiga, Tarangnan and Gandara." BenchStat

SECTION 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice shall immediately include in its program the operationalization of the additional Regional Trial Court of Balangiga, Eastern Samar, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: August 2, 2004