San Beda Alabang School of Law's Legal Aid Bureau: A first in the South

San Beda College Alabang- School of Law Dean Ulpiano Sarmiento III introduced the idea of the Legal Aid Bureau in the institution. According to him, the program will be an extension of San Beda Manila's Legal Aid Bureau.

 

As provided under the Law Student Practice Rule of the Rules of Court, the legal aid program will give students a chance to represent indigent clients under the supervision and control of a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in any case before any trial court, tribunal, board, or officer. Moreover, qualified students shall also participate in and spearhead activities intended for the promotion of legal rights within the community. Participation in this program will be in lieu of the prescribed courses namely, Practice Court 1 and 2 in the current law school curriculum.

 

The Legal Aid Bureau in San Beda College- Manila College of Law (SBCM COL) has been in existence for seven years already; and now, the same program will be offered to students of SBCA- SOL, with Atty. Lauren Tanyag as its adviser. Through the efforts of SBCA-SOL's Student Law Government (SLG), and both administrators from the SBCA-SOL and SBC-M COL, the said vision has been concretized.

 

On March 5, 2013, the Memorandum of Agreement, which formalized the extension of the Legal Aid Bureau of SBC-M to SBCA-SOL, was signed at the Board Room of SBC-Manila. Reverend Fr. Aloysius Maranan OSB (SBC-M Rector President), Dom Clement H. Ma. Roque OSB (SBC-A Rector President), Dean Virgilio Jara of SBC-M COL, Dean Ulpiano Sarmiento III of SBCA-SOL, Atty. Bruce Rivera (SBCA-SOL's Prefect of Students), Atty. Peter Joey Usita (SBC-M COL's Legal Aid Bureau Director), Atty. Lauren Tanyag (SBCA-SOL's Legal Aid Bureau Director), Tyrus Macaraeg (Legal Aid Bureau Chairman), Aubin Nieva (SBC-M Law Student Government President), Charles Baculi (SBCA-SOL's 2nd year Batch Representative), and Ian Basconcillo (SBCA-SOL's SLG President), were present during the momentous event.

 

Atty. Tanyag shared in an interview the importance of having this program in the Alabang campus. "No legal aid office exists in the South (of Metro Manila). In fact well-known legal aid offices in Metro Manila, such as that of San Beda College Manila and UP Diliman often refuse to accept cases in Rizal, Cavite, Muntinlupa, and Las Pinas, among others, due to limited resources and time constraints.” She added that, “SBCA-SOL hopes to address and solve this need. Further, there is an informal request from the Mayor of Muntinlupa for legal assistance, especially for those in the New Bilibid Prison." 

 

She emphasized the vision and mission of SBCA-SOL in providing for the Legal Aid Bureau. "San Beda hopes to expand its means to provide free access to justice to the poor and unrepresented, and by doing so, build a stronger justice system. It has been said that lawyers strive to attain justice for their clients while great lawyers strive to attain justice for everyone. Through a clinical legal education program, wherein law students gain intensive legal education by providing free access to justice for the poor, justice is made available to all."  Press release and photo from The Red Chronicles, Official Publication of the San Beda College Alabang School of Law