Davao City, IBP partner to provide legal services to indigents

THE Davao City Government has formalized a partnership with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Davao City Chapter to expand the reach of its Extended Legal Aid Program, reinforcing efforts to provide accessible legal services to underserved residents.

The partnership was sealed through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 with both parties expressing their commitment to ensuring that indigent Dabawenyos, particularly those who cannot be represented by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) or the City Prosecutor’s Office due to conflicts of interest — receive timely legal assistance.

Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte explained that the initiative was developed in response to the recurring concerns raised during the city’s barangay caravans. According to him, legal and health services were among the top needs identified by residents. 

He stressed that the city has a responsibility to allocate resources for free legal services, especially for those who cannot afford them. He also believed that ensuring access to justice for all can help promote socio-economic growth by giving the less privileged equal opportunities to assert their rights.

Under the agreement, the city government will provide P2 million annually to fund the legal aid program. 

The IBP will appoint one chief legal aid lawyer and two assistant legal aid lawyers to help meet the increasing legal needs of the city’s poor communities.

Lawyer Antoinette Principe of IBP-Davao City noted that the chapter has long been assisting indigent litigants. As of January 2025, she said, the IBP’s legal aid team, composed of a designated legal aid lawyer, Joseph Brian Atensor, and several volunteer lawyers, has handled hundreds of judicial and quasi-judicial cases. 

She emphasized that the expansion of the program aims to extend support to more clients, assist in decongesting local jails, and provide legal representation to those whose cases fall outside the jurisdiction of PAO due to conflicts.

Principe also pointed out that the partnership supports the constitutional right to free access to courts for the poor, as provided under Section 11, Article III of the 1987 Constitution.

Meanwhile, lawyer Ferdinand Taglucop, president of the IBP Davao City Chapter, expressed appreciation for the city government’s continued support. He stated that the initiative demonstrates a shared commitment to making justice more available and equitable, reflecting a vision of a Davao City where every resident, regardless of economic status, has the opportunity to assert their rights and be heard.