SENATOR Christopher ‘Bong’ Go filed two bills seeking to create additional divisions at the Court of Appeals (CA) and the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) to help address delays in the disposition of cases and labor disputes.
Under Senate Bill (SBN) 1186, Go seeks to amend Batas Pambansa (BP) 129 or the Judiciary Reorganization Act to restructure the CA by adding 3 more divisions, each with 3 members, to facilitate the de-clogging of its court dockets.
“Let us help strengthen the judiciary in fulfilling its role and functions. Kailangang agarang naaaksyunan at nabibigyang pansin ang lahat ng mga kaso nang walang pili at walang pinapanigan kundi ang katotohanan at kung ano ang makatarungan. Tandaan natin na justice delayed is justice denied,” expressed Go.
The bill also mandates the CA to hold continuous trials and hearings which “must be completed within three months unless extended by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.”
Meanwhile, SBN 1187 shall amend the relevant provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines and create an additional division of the NLRC to be established in Davao City, to help dispose labor disputes especially in Mindanao.
It shall likewise increase the number of commissioners from 23 to 26 as each NLRC division is composed of three members.
Go noted that with a growing number of local and overseas workers, the NLRC is now tasked with additional responsibilities.
He pointed out that the increase in the number of workers under the NLRC’s jurisdiction calls for the corresponding expansion of the body in order to minimize case backlogs and address labor disputes in a more timely manner.
“Creating an additional division of the NLRC will be beneficial for the proper administration and implementation of the labor laws and rules,” he stressed.
The senator added that the three-decades-old Labor Code has to keep abreast with the needs and challenges of the present time.
If passed into law, SBN 1187 mandates that the first 6 divisions of the NLRC shall have their main offices in Metro Manila and handle cases coming from the National Capital Region and other parts of Luzon.
Meanwhile, the seventh division, with main office in Cebu City, shall handle cases from Visayas; and the eight division, with main office in Cagayan de Oro City, and the proposed ninth division, with main office in Davao City, shall handle cases from Mindanao.