The House of Representatives has launched a Legal Aid Help Desk aimed at expanding access to free legal assistance for indigent Filipinos who face financial barriers in seeking justice.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno led the inauguration of the initiative on June 10, describing it as a practical step toward making legal services more accessible to ordinary citizens who often struggle to navigate the justice system.
The project is a partnership between the House of Representatives Legal Affairs Department and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Quezon City Chapter, under the Supreme Court’s Unified Legal Aid Service Program.
Diokno, a human rights lawyer before entering Congress, said access to justice remains out of reach for many Filipinos due to cost and complexity.
“Kung ikaw ay isang ordinaryong mamamayan na naghahanapbuhay araw-araw para lang maitaguyod ang iyong pamilya, ang tingin mo sa batas ay isang labirinto, isang magastos, matagal, at masalimuot na sistema na para lang sa mga mayayaman at may kapangyarihan,” Diokno said.
He added that for many Filipinos facing legal problems, the first concern is not their rights but the cost of legal representation.
“Kaya naman kapag ang isang mahirap ay nahaharap sa legal na problema, madalas ang unang tanong niya ay hindi kung ano ba yung kanyang karapatan kundi saan ako kukuha ng pambayad sa abogado,” he said.
Diokno said pro bono service remains central to the legal profession, adding that similar initiatives can help bridge gaps in access to justice.
He also cited his experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he helped establish a free legal help desk that assisted more than 20,000 Filipinos through legal guidance and information support.
Beyond direct assistance, Diokno urged the House initiative to include an information component that would help citizens better understand legal processes and resolve basic concerns independently.
He also called on Congress to pass House Bill No. 7305, which proposes the creation of a Joint Congressional Commission on Justice System Reform (JUSTCOM) to conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s justice system.
Diokno said systemic issues such as case backlogs, prolonged pre-trial detention, jail congestion, limited access to legal aid, weak accountability, and public distrust continue to undermine the justice system.
“The crisis we face in the justice system, while it’s not often discussed, is just as bad as the crisis we face in our educational system. At hangga’t hindi natin maayos yung sistemang ‘yan…hindi pa rin tayo magkakaroon ng sapat na pananagutan, impunity pa rin at impunity ang mararamdaman ng ordinaryong Pilipino,” he said.
House Bill No. 7305 seeks to address structural inefficiencies and recommend long-term reforms to improve accountability, access to justice, and overall system performance.