Senator Raffy Tulfo has filed a measure that seeks to promote access to quality legal education by providing free tuition and other school fees to deserving students in state universities and colleges (SUCs).
In filing Senate Bill (SB) No. 1610, Tulfo also sought to increase the shortage of workforce in the legal profession by requiring scholars to render mandatory return service for two years in the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) or any government agency lacking lawyers.
“One of the reasons for lack of access to justice in the Philippines is the shortage of practicing lawyers,” the bill’s explanatory note read.
As such, SB No. 1610 seeks to contribute to access to justice of the marginalized sectors.
There is a ratio of one lawyer serving roughly 2500 people.
At present, there is a ratio of one lawyer serving roughly 2500 people, which is very far from the ideal proportion of one lawyer for every 250 persons.
While Congress already enacted the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017” providing free tertiary education to bona fide students in SUCs, the legislator noted that law students are ineligible to avail the free tertiary education under said law as they are already bachelor’s degree holders.
Many law students, especially those coming from poor families, cannot afford to become a lawyer considering that it costs around P75,000 – P98,000 per semester to study law in top private legal educational institutions.
Moreover, tuition fees in state universities range from P24,000 to P30,000, excluding all the living expenses and other necessities.
Under SB No. 1610, The Free Legal Education Program shall cover the tuition fees, as well as government-mandated bar examination and licensure fees and other school fees.
Under SB No. 1610, The Free Legal Education Program shall cover the tuition fees at the rate approved by the SUC governing board, as well as government-mandated bar examination and licensure fees and other school fees including but not limited to library fees and fees for prescribed books.
All SUCs with a Law Program duly accredited by the LEB shall be qualified to implement this Act insofar as beneficial to their bona fide law students.
