AN ACT CREATING TWELVE (12) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF LOS BAÑOS AND IN THE CITY OF CABUYAO, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, AND ONE (1) ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT IN CITIES IN THE FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE CITY OF CABUYAO, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12044, October 26, 2024 ]

AN ACT CREATING TWELVE (12) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF LOS BAÑOS AND IN THE CITY OF CABUYAO, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, AND ONE (1) ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT IN CITIES IN THE FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE CITY OF CABUYAO, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14(E) AND SECTION 29 OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980", AS AMENDED

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Twelve (12) additional branches of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) and one (1) additional branch of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) in the Fourth Judicial Region are hereby created and stationed in the Province of Laguna as follows:

The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch numbers for the newly created branches of the RTC and the MTCC.

Section 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice, shall immediately include in the Court's program the operationalization of the additional branches of the RTC and MTCC in the Municipality of Los Baños and City of Cabuyao, Province of Laguna. The Supreme Court shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act and, if warranted, the realignment of seats of existing branches and their territorial jurisdiction.

Section 3. The funds necessary for the implementation of this Act, including appropriations for personnel services such as salaries, benefits and emoluments for judges and court personnel, court operations under maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), and provisions for Halls of Justice or courtrooms to accommodate judges and court staff, as well as funds necessary for the implementation of automatically-created prosecutor positions pursuant to Section 13 of Republic Act No. 10071 or the "Prosecution Service Act of 2010" and appointment of public attorneys pursuant to Section 7 of Republic Act No. 9406 or the "Act Reorganizing and Strengthening the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), resulting from the creation of these courts, including appropriations for personnel services such as salaries, benefits, and emoluments for prosecutors and public attorneys, shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Section 4. Section 14(e) and Section 29 of Batas Pambansa Blg, 129, otherwise known as "The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980", as amended, and all other laws, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 5. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

This Act, which originated in the House of Representatives, was passed by the House of Representatives on January 31, 2023, amended by the Senate of the Philippines on May 6, 2024, and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on July 30, 2024.

Approved: OCT 26 2024

(SGD.) FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR.
President of the Philippines