The Supreme Court (SC) has approved the manual on the Rules on Unified Legal Aid Service (ULAS), reinforcing its mandate for lawyers to provide free legal aid to indigent Filipinos.
The manual, adopted by the SC en banc on April 8 and set to take effect 15 days after its May 15 publication, lays down the procedures for complying with the ULAS Rules, which mandate lawyers to complete at least 60 hours of free legal service every three years or make equivalent contributions to the ULAS Fund.
Under the rules and the manual, the service must be provided to qualified beneficiaries — individuals who either have been appointed a counsel de officio through a court order or have been determined to be indigent based on documentary proof and lawyer assessment.
The manual includes prescribed templates for court orders and beneficiary declarations to streamline compliance.
Moreover, lawyers must report their pro bono work through the ULAS Portal, an online platform that will serve as the centralized system for submitting reports, requests, and supporting documents.
While the portal and the ULAS Office are still being set up, lawyers may begin rendering services and keep records to be uploaded once the system becomes operational.
As an alternative to service, lawyers may opt to make monetary contributions covering up to 50% of their required hours, provided the payment is made within the compliance period.
Reimbursement of certain reasonable expenses, such as transportation or printing costs, may also be sought, subject to availability of funds and approval by the ULAS Office.
The implementation will be overseen by the ULAS Board, chaired by an incumbent SC justice and composed of representatives from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Governing Board, the Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS), and three private practitioners representing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The Court also partnered with the Department of Justice Action Center, IBP, and PALS to expand access to free legal aid, which includes court representation, legal advice, document preparation, developmental legal assistance, and participation in accredited legal outreach activities.
Copies of the rules and manual are available on the SC website, and inquiries may be sent to the ULAS Secretariat at ulas.helpdesk.sc@judiciary.gov.ph.
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