1. Thrusts and Challenges

2. 
Public Attorney’s Office
(PAO)
MISSION
To provide free legal representation, assistance and
counselling to indigent persons in criminal, civil,
labor, and administrative cases thereby giving
realization to the constitutional mandate that “free
access to the courts and quasi-judicial bodies and
adequate legal assistance shall not be denied to any
person by reason of poverty (Sec. 11, Article 3 of the
1987 Philippine Constitution)”.

3. 
Public Attorney’s Office
(PAO)
VISION
The PAO envisions a God-centered, service-
oriented and dynamic institution that would be the
center of excellence as the principal law office of the
government in extending free legal assistance to
indigents led by highly competent, world-class,
development oriented and nationalistic leaders.

4. 
Public Attorney’s Office
(PAO)
MANDATE
The mandate of the Public Attorney’s Office has been specified and strengthened
in the provisions of R.A. 9406 or the so called – “PAO Law” which amended the
administrative code of 1987, for the purpose. Pertinent provision of the amended provisions
now reads;
SEC. 14. Public Attorney’s office (PAO). – The Citizen’s Legal Assistance Office
(CLAO) is renamed Public Attorney’s office (PAO). It shall exercise the powers and functions as
are now provided by law for the Citizen’s Legal Assistance Office or may hereafter be provided by
law.
The PAO shall be an independent and autonomous office, but attached to the
Department of justice in accordance with Section 38(3), Chapter 7 of Book IV of this Code for
purposes of policy and program coordination.
The PAO shall be the principal law office of the Government in extending free legal
assistance to indigent persons in criminal, civil, labor, administrative and other quasi-judicial cases.
SEC. 14-A. powers and Functions. – The PAO shall independently discharge its
mandate to render, free of charge legal representation, assistance, and counselling to indigent
persons in criminal, civil, labor, administrative and other quasi-judicial cases. In the exigency of the
service, the PAO may be called upon by proper government authorities to render such service to
other persons, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.

5. 
Public Attorney’s Office
(PAO)
The broad mandate of the PAO as the principal law office of the government in
extending free legal assistance to indigent persons in criminal, civil, labor, administrative and
other quasi-judicial cases and legal assistance to such other persons as may be called upon by
proper government authorities, pursuant to R.A. 9406 & related laws, has been fleshed out in the
following services rendered:
I. Regular Services
1. Judicial Services
(Courts, Administrative & Other Quasi-judicial Bodies)
 Criminal - complainant/victim or accused on a first come-first served basis
 Civil
 Labor Cases
 Administrative Cases
 Prosecutor’s Office
 Special Proceedings
 Provisional Remedies
 Appealed Cases
2. Quasi-judicial Services / Administrative Bodies
A. Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration (ADR)
B. Investigation

6. 
Public Attorney’s Office
(PAO)
3. Non-judicial Cases / Services
 Legal Advice and Counselling
 Legal Research and Opinion
 Notarial Work / Administration Oaths
4. Inquest Services/ Jail Visitation and Other Outreach Activities and/or Services
 Custodial / Inquest Investigation
 Jail Visitation (Prisoners interviewed and provided with medical, dental and legal
assistance)
 Barangay Outreach Program
5. Provisional / Limited Services and Immediate Legal Services
 Appointment as Counsel de Officio
During:
a. Arraignment only
b. Pre-trial only
c. Promulgation of Judgment only
d. Other Limited Service
 Appointment as counsel by order of proper government authority

7. 
Public Attorney’s Office
(PAO)
II. Other Legal Services Pursuant to MOAs and
when called upon by proper Government
Authorities
 MOAs
 Specific Provisions of Law
 Court orders

8. 
PAO’s MANDATE, POWERS
& FUNCTIONS
The broad mandate of the Office “to provide free legal assistance to indigent clients”,
encompasses:
 Criminal
 Civil
 Labor
 Administrative, and
 Other Quasi-Judicial cases
Consisting of:
 Legal counselling/opinion
 Legal representation
 Preparation of pleadings, briefs, affidavits, forms and other legal documents
 Inquest activities
 Conciliation & mediation
 Barangay outreach program
 Notarial works/administering of oaths
 Jail visitation & medical mission
 Other provisional / limited and immediate services
In the exigency of the service, the PAO may be called upon by proper government
authority to render such services to other person, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.
*By MOA or circular or directive

9. 
POLICIES AND RULES
 Code of Conduct/ Manual of Operation
 Merit and Indigency Test
 First Come First Served Rule
 Court Residency Rule
 Public Attorneys and employees not to be custodian of
client’s money/property
 Service with a smile
 Conflict of Interest Rule
 PAO lawyers representation of immediate members of the
family, exemption from indigency and court residency rule
 Notice of Denial / Disqualification of request for legal
assistance

10. 
PAO’s MANDATE, POWERS
& FUNCTIONS
 Reorganization
 Immediate legal service. – In the exigency of the service, the PAO may be called upon by
proper government authorities to render such service to other persons, subject to existing
laws, rules and regulations. (Section 27, Rule VI, IRR of R.A. 9406) – By MOA& Department
Orders.
 Exemption from payment of docket fees and other legal fees (see: OCA Circular No. 121-
2007 & Memorandum dated January 4, 2008 of Hon. Raul M. Gonzales, Department Circular
No. 46, June 25, 2010, Hon. Alberto C. Agra
 Support from LGUs (see: Memo Circular No. 2007-52 dated May 18, 2007 of Hon. Ronaldo
Puno, Secretary, DILG)
 Upgrading of salaries and ranks
 Franking privileges
 Notarial services/Administration of oaths
 Reorganization:
 Designation of one DCPA for Luzon
 Designation of one DCPA for Visayas & Mindanao
 Division to Services
Section 8 Rule III of I.R.R. of R.A. 9406
PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF R.A. 9406

11. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TARGETS
2013
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
PI Set 1:
*Number of cases under management.
*Percentage of cases with favorable judgment.
*Percentage of requests for legal assistance /
representation acted upon within three working days
from the date of request.
*Percentage of hearings for which postponement is
sought by the PAO legal representative.
745,980
64.5%
92%
1%
746,161
65.99%
100%
0.04%
PI Set 2:
*Number of clients served (non-judicial).
*Number of legal advisories / counseling provided.
*Percentage of clients who rated the legal services of
PAO as satisfactory or better.
*Percentage of requests for assistance that are acted
upon within two hours.
4,631,097
1,731,554
88%
96%
4,648,422
1,731,982
99.84%
100%
2013 Major Accomplishments

12. Clients Assisted and Cases
Handled
Total No. of Clients Assisted 7,126,565
Total No. of Cases Handled 746,161
Average No. of Clients Assisted by Each Lawyer 4,748
Average No. of Cases Handled by Each Lawyer 497

13. 
FAVORABLE TO CLIENTS
(2013 Criminal Cases)
Acquittals 11,659
Dismissed with prejudice 37,392
Motion to quash granted 2,805
Demurrer to evidence granted 2,990
Provisionally dismissed 39,992
Convicted to lesser offense 39,829
Probation granted 3,634
Won 656
Granted lesser award 2,652
Dismissed based on compromised agreement 4,226
Criminal case for preliminary investigation:
Filed in court (complainant)
Dismissed (respondent)
3,653
2,964
Pre-trial releases and other favorable
dispositions:
Bail (Non-bailable offense)
Recognizance
Diversion proceedings / Intervention
Suspended sentence
Maximum imposable penalty served
325
453
378
200
278
Total
Terminated
Criminal
Cases 206,127
Total
Favorable
Dispositions 152,452
Rate of Total
Favorable
Dispositions 73.96%

14. 
Winning Appealed Criminal Cases
Acquittals from Reclusion Perpetua 82
Acquittals from Reclusion Temporal 89
TOTAL 171

15. 
PAO Offices
REGION
DISTRICT
/SUB-DISTRICT
OFFICES
REGION
DISTRICT
/SUB-DISTRICT
OFFICES
REGION
DISTRICT
/SUB-DISTRICT
OFFICES
Central Office
IV-A
CALABARZON
34
IX-A
ARMM
3, 1 (sub-district)
National Capital
Region
16
IV-B
MIMAROPA
12
IX-B
Zamboanga
Peninsula
14, 1 (satellite
office)
Cordillera
Administrative
Region
13, 2 (sub-
district)
V
Bicol Region
20
X
Northern Mindanao
17, 2 (sub-
district)
I
Ilocos Region
21
VI
Eastern Visayas
18
XI
Davao Region
11
II
Cagayan Valley
15
VII
Central Visayas
21, 1 (RSACU)
XII
SOCCSKSARGEN
11
III
Central Luzon
27, 1 (sub-
district)
VIII
Western Visayas
24
XIII
CARAGA
11
TOTAL DISTRICT OFFICES 314
TOTAL NUMBER OF REGIONAL OFFICES 17

16. 
Memorandum of
Agreements (MOAs)
Entered into by PAO

17. 
Persons qualified for PAO legal assistance
pursuant to existing Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) and Department of Justice (DOJ Directives), as
follows:
 Department of Agrarian Reform lawyers against
whom criminal and administrative complaints have
been filed for acts in connection with the
performance of their official duties (Directive of the
Minister of Justice);
Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) Entered into by PAO

18. 
 Farmer-beneficiaries of the Agrarian Reform Law,
a) in agrarian-related civil or criminal cases pending before
the courts and
b) in cases against fellow beneficiaries pending before the
courts or the Department of Agrarian Reform
Adjudication Board (DARAB) where one of the parties is
already represented by a lawyer from the Department of
Agrarian Reform (Memorandum of Agreement, dated
May 8, 1991, between DAR and DOJ);
Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) Entered into by PAO

19. 
 Indigent laborers in meritorious labor cases
(Memorandum Order of the Secretary of Justice, dated
May 19, 1988);
 Indigent aliens (2nd Indorsement of the Undersecretary of
Justice, dated March 25, 1974);
 Qualified overseas contract workers in all cases within the
original and exclusive jurisdiction of the Philippines
Overseas Employment Administration (Memorandum of
Agreement between PAO, DOLE, POEA, OWWA and
some NGOs, dated April 2, 1993);
Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) Entered into by PAO

20. 
 Barangay Health Workers (Sec. 16, Rule II, and Part
5, Rule VII of the Implementing Rules and
Regulations of Republic Act No. 7883);
 Department of Social Welfare and Development in
the filing of petitions for the involuntary
commitment of minors, as well as the filing of
petitions for the declaration that a child is
abandoned or neglected (Directive of Minister of
Justice Neptali Gonzales, dated February 10, 1987);
Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) Entered into by PAO

21. 
 Members of the Association of Local Social Welfare and
Development Officers of the Philippines, Incorporated
(ALSWDOPI) in criminal and administrative
complaints/cases related to or in connection with the
exercise of their profession or performance of duties,
unless there is a conflict of interest or when a member
does not qualify under the PAO’s Indigency Test, in
which case, a provisional assistance shall be afforded to
him/her (Memorandum of Agreement between the
ALSWDOPI and the Public Attorney’s Office, dated
August 27, 2009);
Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) Entered into by PAO

22. 
 Qualified Print and Broadcast Media Practitioners, as well
as their staff and crew, who are harassed into
incarceration (Memorandum Circular No. 01, S. 2009,
dated January 5, 2009 in relation to Memorandum of
Agreement between the National Press Club (NPC) and
PAO dated May 29, 2009);
 Dangerous Drugs Board, its authorized representatives
and drug offenders, in the filing of petitions for voluntary
confinement, except when there is conflict of interest
(Memorandum of Agreement between the Dangerous
Drugs Board and the Public Attorney’s Office, dated July
15, 2008);
Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) Entered into by PAO

23. 
 Filipino complainants against foreigners for violations of
immigration, alien registration and other local laws; respondent
foreigners in deportation cases; Bureau of Immigration clients
in the notarization of applications; and such other legal services
assigned by the Commissioner (Memorandum of Agreement
between the Bureau of Immigration and the Public Attorney’s
Office, dated February 4, 2009);
 Members of the Press Photographers of the Philippines (PPP)
under investigation for a complaint or on trial for a case,
including cases under inquest proceedings, related to or in
connection with the exercise of profession or performance of
duties, and to the families of PPP members who are victims of
media killings (Memorandum of Agreement between the Press
Photographers of the Philippines and the Public Attorney’s
Office, dated May 25, 2009);
Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) Entered into by PAO

24. 
 Officials of the Philippine National Police holding the ranks of Police
Officer I (POI) to Senior Police Officer 4 (SPO4) when sued in the
performance of their police duties (DOJ Department Circular No. 78, dated
October 26, 2009 and Memorandum, dated November 9, 2009)
 League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), PAO to provide and
extend free legal assistance and court representation subject to Republic
Act (R.A.) 9406 (PAO Law), rules and regulations, to qualified constituents
of any member of municipalities of the League.
 National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), PAO to provide
materials and resource persons for the Rights of the Accused topic and to
facilitate the internship of trainees with the PAO for one month.
 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Stateless Persons.
Memorandum of Agreements
(MOAs) Entered into by PAO

25. 
OTHER SERVICES
RENDERED BY PAO

26. 
 JAIL VISITATION AND
DECONGESTION PROGRAM
This outreach program for inmates has been
strengthened by the PAO-Central Office Legal, Medical,
Dental and Optical Jail Visitation Program. With prior
approval of the then Hon. Justice Secretary Raul M.
Gonzales, this program was started in 2007 and has
been continuously conducted in various jails in the
Philippines.
OTHER SERVICES RENDERED
BY PAO

27. 
 LEGAL/INQUEST PROCEEDINGS ASSISTANCE
On their scheduled duties, the public attorneys and staff of
the PAO-Central Office have alternately been providing legal and
inquest proceedings assistance even during night time, weekends and
holidays since October 2009. For this purpose, the PAO hotline,
929-9436, is open to the public 24/7.
In September 2010, the coverage of this program was widened for the benefit of the
people that are being served by the regional and district offices of the PAO nationwide. Since
then, the said offices have been rendering legal assistance (e.g. legal advice, attending to the
legal needs of suspects in the police stations within the territorial jurisdiction of the
concerned PAO regional/district offices) up to 10:00 p.m. everyday (including weekends and
holidays) but the assigned PAO inquest public attorneys and staff therein remain on call
during their respective scheduled duties whenever there is an inquest in the said police
stations.
A total of 26,841 clients benefited from the services provided by the PAO
consisting of inquest assistance, legal advice/counseling and documentation at the above
duty stations covering the period January to December 2013.
OTHER SERVICES RENDERED
BY PAO

28. 
MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION AS
PART OF THE QUASI-JUDICIAL SERVICE
For the year 2013, the office handled a total of 449,611
cases for mediation and conciliation.
OTHER SERVICES RENDERED
BY PAO

29. 
CHALLENGES

30.  FAST TURNOVER OF PAO LAWYERS
The high turnover rate of PAO lawyers is
primarily due to the following reasons:
 Resignation to engage in private law practice;
 Transfer to the National Prosecution Service (NAPROSS);
 Transfer to the judiciary;
 Transfer to other government owned and controlled corporations; and
 Heavy workload;
 No attractive retirement benefits – Awaiting full implementation of R.A. 9406 RE:
Retirement Benefits of Prosecutor’s Applied to PAO.
Due to uncompetitive compensation package and allowance given to its personnel, the PAO
has difficulty in maintaining public attorneys in its fold. However, with the recent
upgrading of salary grades for lawyers in the agency pursuant to R.A. 9406, the PAO is
hopeful to retain most of its lawyers in the service until retirement age, more or less.
CHALLENGES

31. 
 HEAVY WORKLOAD
On the average, a public attorney is
assigned to at least two (2) courts. The
total number of plantilla positions for
lawyers are not enough to cover every
court in the Philippines.
CHALLENGES

32. 
CHALLENGES
Authorized Filled Unfilled
Lawyers 1,536 1,525 11
* Number of Courts as of December, 2013– 2,214
The table below shows the number of authorized, filled, and unfilled
positions for lawyers from January to December 2013, to wit:
It is also worthy to mention that aside from handling criminal
and civil cases, public attorneys are likewise mandated to handle: (1)
preliminary investigation of cases before the Office of the Public
Prosecutor; (2) labor cases before the National Labor Relations
Commission; (3) administrative cases before administrative bodies like
DARAB, PRC, DECS, PLEB, Insurance Commission, POEA, SSS, etc.

33. 
 Establishment of the Witness Protection Program for PAO
Separate from DOJ (Proposal to Congress needs to amend
the law).
 Lack of funds for the continuous capacity building /
enhancement of the skills and competence of PAO
lawyers through the holding of training, workshops and
seminars – Forensic Service.
 Organization, establishment and
maintenance of database, case
management, and monitoring system for
all cases handled by PAO nationwide.
CHALLENGES

34. 
 Increase the number of lawyers assigned in each of
the Regional and District Offices for a more effective
and efficient delivery of services pursuant to
Republic Act 9406 (PAO Law).
 Endeavor to meet the ideal situation of one PAO
lawyer being assigned to one court for a more
effective and efficient representation of clients.
CHALLENGES

35. The public Attorney’s Office is deeply committed to the
effective and efficient fulfilment of its mandate. Its record of
notable accomplishment in the delivery of its mandated
services through the years has always been fulfilling for the
office, and has given pride and honor to the public attorneys
and staff, who have served as such.

36. 
Thank You!