[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12121, February 13, 2025 ]
AN ACT CREATING ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT AND METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT IN THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE CITY OF SAN JUAN, CONVERTING FOUR (4) BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN PASIG CITY INTO FOUR (4) BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE CITY OF SAN JUAN, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14(E) AND 27 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. Four (4) branches of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for the City of Pasig and located in the City of San Juan, namely Branches 68, 160 and 164, are hereby converted into branches of the RTC for the City of San Juan.
The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch numbers for the newly converted branches of the RTC under this section, if necessary.
Section 2. In additional to the newly converted branches of the RTC for the City of San Juan under the preceding section, two (2) additional branches of the RTC and two (2) additional branches of the Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) in the National Capital Judicial Region are hereby created and stationed in the City of San Juan. 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.
The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch numbers for the newly created branches of the RTC and MeTC in the City of San Juan.
Section 3. An Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) shall be created and organized with the corresponding plantilla based on the number of branches in the said station.
Section 4. The jurisdiction over cases emanating from the City of San Juan, cognizable by the proper courts under existing law, shall be lodged in the branches of the RTC or MeTC created under this Act, and in such other branches that may be subsequently created, organized and stationed in the City of San Juan.
The territorial jurisdiction for the RTC and the MeTC in the City of Pasig is hereby modified to exclude the City of San Juan.
Section 5. 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 newly created and converted branches of the RTC and MeTC in the City of San Juan.
Section 6. 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.
The funds necessary for the operation of the courts herein created shall be appropriated and released only upon the actual organization of the court and the appointment of its personnel.ℒαwρhi৷
Section 7. The RTC of San Juan City will have seven (7) branches. The staffing pattern of each branch shall be as follows:
| No. of Positions |
Position Title |
Salary Grade |
| 1 |
Regional Trial Court Judge |
29 |
| 1 |
Clerk of Court V |
24 |
| 1 |
Court Legal Researcher II |
15 |
| 1 |
Interpreter III |
12 |
| 4 |
Court Stenographer III |
12 |
| 1 |
Sheriff IV |
12 |
| 2 |
Clerk III |
6 |
| 1 |
Process Server |
5 |
| 1 |
Utility Worker I |
1 |
| 13 |
Personnel |
The staff complement of the OCC shall be composed of twenty-four (24) personnel, unless the same is modified as may be determined by the Supreme Court.
Section 8. The MeTC in the City of San Juan shall have four (4) branches.ℒαwρhi৷ The staffing pattern of each branch shall as follows:
| No. of Positions |
Position Title |
Salary Grade |
| 1 |
Metropolitan Trial Court Judge |
28 |
| 1 |
Clerk of Court III |
22 |
| 1 |
Court Legal Researcher I |
12 |
| 3 |
Interpreter II |
10 |
| 1 |
Court Stenographer II |
10 |
| 2 |
Sheriff III |
10 |
| 1 |
Clerk III |
6 |
| 1 |
Process Server |
5 |
| 1 |
Utility Worker I |
1 |
| 12 |
Personnel |
The staff complement of the OCC shall be composed of twenty-three (23) personnel, unless the same is modified as may be determined by the Supreme Court.
In addition, there shall be appointed the corresponding number of prosecutor/s and public attorney/s and their support staff based on the ratio outlined in Republic Act No. 10071 and Republic Act No. 9406, respectively.
Section 9. Section 14(e) and 28 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 10. 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,
(SGD.) FRANCIS "CHIZ" G. ESCUDERO
President of the Senate |
(SGD.) FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ
Speaker of the House of Representatives |
This Act, which originated in the House of Representatives, was passed by the House of Representatives on August 9, 2023, amended by the Senate of the Philippines on May 13, 2024, and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on July 30, 2024.
(SGD.) RENATO N. BANTUG, JR.
Secretary of the Senate |
(SGD.) REGINALD S. VELASCO
Secretary General House of Representatives |
Approved: FEB 13 2025
(SGD.) FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR.
President of the Philippines
The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation
