KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY - LGRC DILG 10

disputes in regular courts. Instead of going through
the very technical procedure of filing formal
pleadings and presenting evidence in courts, the
parties of a dispute are given the opportunity to try
to talk to each other and resolve their disputes
amicably. The technical processes and rules that are
usually applied in court proceedings are not applied.
Filing a case in court, or defending oneself against
such a case,
would necessarily
entail the services
of lawyers. In the
Barangay Justice
System, however,
the parties do not
need to secure the
services of
lawyers. In fact,
the law prohibits
the participation
of lawyers in the
In some areas where the
courts are inaccessible, both
because of location and
because of the prohibitive
costs of litigation, the
Barangay Justice System,
with all its limitations, can
be the only venue that the
poor can avail of for the
resolution of their disputes.
conciliation proceedings. While cases that are tried
in courts generally take years to be resolved, cases
that go through the Barangay Justice System would
generally take only a few weeks.
Simply put, the Barangay Justice System provides
a friendly, inexpensive, and speedy forum for the
settlement of disputes where the parties can freely
explore options for amicably resolving their disputes
without resorting to the courts.
On the issue of access to justice, the Barangay
Justice System provides an accessible mechanism for
resolving the justice issues of the poor.
In some areas where the courts are inaccessible,
both because of location and because of the
prohibitive costs of litigation, the Barangay Justice
System, with all its limitations, can be the only venue
that the poor can avail of for the resolution of their
disputes.
KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY
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