European Union Supports Better Access to Justice for the Muslim Community in Palawan

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August 12, 2015 -- A tripartite Memorandum of Agreement to implement the Access to Justice Network (AJN) project was entered into by the Provincial Government of Palawan, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) and the United Muslim Communities in Palawan for Peace and Progress (UMCPPP) recently in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

An initiative of the NCMF, with support from the European Union’s EU- Philippines Justice Support Programme II (EPJUST II) and in partnership with the United Muslim Communities in Palawan for Peace and Progress (UMCPPP), the AJN aims to give Muslim Filipinos better access to the Philippine legal system through paralegal training and the establishment of a center at the barangay level that will facilitate access to legal and justice services. It also aims to empower their communities with seminars to improve understanding of their legal duties and rights.

Atty. Joey Mendoza, Key Expert of EPJUST II, welcomes the signing of the MOA. “This addresses a longstanding gap in the delivery of a basic right. Genuine access to justice can hopefully now be a reality for more of our poor and vulnerable Filipinos.”

The Provincial Government of Palawan, led by Governor Jose C. Alvarez, will facilitate the establishment of AJN centers in the ten pilot barangays within the province and the designation of AJN staff in each of the barangays.

NCMF together with the Provincial Government will lead in convening the technical working group and providing policy guidance and oversight in the development of AJN centers.

“Studies have shown that where there are community paralegals, citizens are more aware of their legal rights and better able to enforce them," says Secretary Yasmin Busran-Lao, Chairperson of the NCMF. “It is crucial to educate and train active community members. They can serve as legal frontrunners who can immediately respond to and assist victims of human rights abuses and prevent further similar incidents.”

Provincial Legal Counsel, Atty. TJ Matta, representing Governor Jose Alvarez, expressed excitement that Palawan would be the first to implement the legal access initiative saying, “This is a great start in making legal services accessible to both our Muslim and non-Muslim communities.”

General Estino Jairi Y. Ayyobie of the UPMCPPP committed to support the activities of AJN by endorsing the project to its members and assisting in the implementation of the program in the pilot barangays.