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ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT Prof. Daniel T. Atayde, CESDEV Coordinator
for College of Law
THE UNIVERSITY OF MANILA
COLLEGE OF LAW COMMUNITY EXTENSION SERVICES AND DEVELOPMENT
(CESDEV) PROGRAM: FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION SERVICES, CHILDRENS
LITERACY PROGRAM, AND CLEAN-UP DRIVE
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Overview of Community Extension Services and Development
(CESDEV) Program of the College of Law
In support of the Universitys mission of making the lives of
others
better, brighter, lighter, and more livable through quality and
affordable
education, the College of Law is committed not only to uphold
the culture of
academic excellence in legal education and research but also to
train future
leaders who would be at the forefront of nation-building. This
objective is
consistent with the vision of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and
Cultural Organization or UNESCO (2009) of making higher
education in the
hilippines the prime mover of the nations socio-economic growth
and
sustainable development through its tri-fold function of
teaching, research
and extension services.
Toward this end, the College of Law has initiated Community
Extension Services and Development (CESDEV) Programs that aim
to
provide equal and speedy justice under the law for indigent
litigants, help
capacitate and empower marginalized communities in the
Philippine society
through projects created to improve their well-being.
The CESDEV Program of the College of Law strives to build a
community of catalysts for social transformation and development
by being
the heart that accumulates resources from its law students,
academic
personnel, and student support staff and plough back said
resources to the
communities that needed the most. Thus, CESDEV Program of the
College of
Law also creates mutually beneficial relationships between its
people and the
communities all inspired by the Universitys noble ideals of
patria (love of
country), scientia (love of science) et virtus (love of
virtue).
Ref:
http://www.dev.ascp.org/Image-Library/Global-Outreach...
CESDEV Program of the College of Law also
creates mutually beneficial relationships
between its people and the communities
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Objectives of the College of Law CESDEV Program
All activities in the College of Law CESDEV Program
are geared towards not only to comply with directives expected
of
an institution of learning, but in creating socially
relevant
communities as well. The objectives of the CL CESDEV Program
are as follows:
Empower both the people in the adopted communities
and the College of Law students, faculty, and support staff
through service-learning initiatives that allow critical
reflection
and productive engagement;
Provide opportunities for collaborations that could
elevate the level of awareness for the College of Law
community
members and partners to the dynamics of participatory
development; and
Utilize research as a vehicle to deepen the College of
Law communitys understanding of socio-economic issues.
Catalyst for social transformation and development.
Professor Daniel T. Atayde: Coordinator for CL
CESDEV Program, hosts the annual Childrens
Literacy Program of the College of Law in partnership
with the Library Department on May 10, 2013.
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The College of Law CESDEV Programs for its Adopted
Communities
The College of Law Community Extension Services and
Development (CL CESDEV) Program helps all of its
neighbouring
barangays. However, it has adopted three communities through
Memorandum of Agreement (MOAs) as locations for the
implementation of extension services. The MOAs were signed by
top
university administrators and local officials of the areas to
protect the
parties involved and determine their scope of engagement. The
adopted
communities were determined by the Universitys Institutional
CESDEV
Program. The adopted communities as of June 2013 are as
follows:
Barangay 400 (M.V. De Los Santos Street, Sampaloc, Manila),
Barangay Pinagkaisahan (Cubao, Quezon City.), and Barangay
Calaoaan (Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur).
As a subunit of the Institutional CESDEV Program of the
University, the CL CESDEV Program has a community outreach
coordinator who communicates with the Institutional CESDEV
director.
Currently, the Institutional CESDEV Program is headed by
Professor
Eric Estaol and directly reports to the University
President.
To fulfil the objectives of CL CESDEV Program, the College
of
Law has created and/or support the following programs: free
legal
consultation services through the Office of Legal Aid, childrens
literacy program, and clean-up drive.
Dean Salvador A. Poquiz (seated), discusses the penalties
and
legal remedies of the case filed against the clients of the
Office of Legal Aid.
Dr. Sunday Galias (rightmost), doctor of medicine and a
student of the College of Law, actively participates in the
annual health check-up program of the Institutional
CESDEV Program for the adopted communities.
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The Office of Legal Aid (OLA) was established principally to
spearhead the College of Laws campaign in defending the rights
of
the underprivileged and the oppressed in obtaining equal and
speedy
justice under the law. Furthermore, it was created for the
purpose of
instilling upon law students the concepts of public service and
social
involvement in the legal profession even as they acquire
practical
training in law practice under the guidance and supervision of
the
law faculty.
Currently, OLA provides free legal services to walk-in
indigent clients, UM employees and students, and members of
its
adopted communities. The free legal consultation services
include
consultations, interviewing, investigating, drafting of
documents,
researching on law and procedure, handling cases in court,
preparing appeals and review petitions, and seeking legal and
other
appropriate non-judicial legal remedies. The free legal
service
DOES NOT include the shouldering of docket fees, court
costs,
transportation and out-of-pocket expenses.
The Office of Legal Aid is located at Room 27-A, second
floor of the Main Building. It is open every Saturday at 1pm-2pm
or
by appointment to be scheduled by the Office of the Dean for
College
of Law.
Free Legal Consultation Services through the Office of Legal Aid
(OLA)
The modern and spacious Office of Legal Aid (OLA) is located
at
Room 27-A, second floor of the Main Building.
Atty. Elena Melita L.
Chica-Lledo: Head of
the Office of Legal Aid
(OLA), explains to Mr.
Ed Aldana: OLA
client, the procedures
in filing cases before
the National Labor
Relations Commission
(NLRC).
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The main objectives of Free Legal Consultation Services
include:
1. Expanding access to the legal system and providing quality
legal representation to low-income individuals through
individual
representation as well as legal advice;
2. Educating members of the public regarding their legal rights
and responsibilities and continuing to develop public awareness of
the
program; and
3. Maintaining a well-functioning organization with the capacity
to respond to the legal needs of low-income and disadvantaged
individuals.
Criteria for Accepting Cases in OLA
Any, all, or combinations of the following factors determine
whether or not OLA will accept applications:
1. The indigency requirement of the applicant
2. The pedagogical value of the matter/s raised by the facts
of
the case, and
3. The level of public interest presented by the issue
involved.
Moreover, due to the limited resources and time constraints,
OLA may not accept cases from outside the City of Manila, Quezon
City,
and its adopted communities. Lastly, OLA does not accept cases
filed
against the University of Manila and its officers, members,
and
employees for propriety reasons.
Free Legal Consultation Services through the Office of Legal Aid
(OLA)
Champions of speedy and equal justice. The
esteemed members of the College of Law
Faculty converge to signify their commitment to
render pro-bono legal services to the UM
community and its partner communities.
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Grounds for Terminating OLAs Services
Any of the following is a ground for
termination:
1. Failure to attend in two consecutive
hearings of the case.
2. Failure to notify the intern in charge of
plans to travel outside the country or outside
Metro Manila.
3. Wilful attempt to seek other
representation.
4. Any substantial misrepresentation to the
Office of Legal Aid before/after acceptance.
5. Media exposure of the case actively sought
by the client.
Free Legal Consultation Services through the Office of Legal Aid
(OLA)
Atty. Samuel Laurente (leftmost) - a volunteer lawyer
of OLA, explains to the client the legal memorandum to
be prepared for the case.
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The Childrens Literacy Program promotes and encourages
children in the adopted communities to become lifelong
readers.
Statistics show that parents with children below three years of
age do
not read to their children at all and some do so only once or
twice a
week. Reading difficulties and illiteracy contribute to school
failure,
increasing absenteeism, school drop-outs, juvenile
delinquency,
increased crime, teen pregnancy, drug use and other problems
that
impact our community. Studies also reveal that the easiest way
to
increase literacy among pre-school and school age children is
to
simply read to them.
The College of Law in partnership with the University
Library Department hosts an annual Literacy Program where
volunteers from the University read to children stories that
teach
good values for them to be productive and caring citizens of
the
country. Volunteer readers range from students, professors and
non-
teaching staff. Every child who participates receives special
prizes.
The program also uses technology and films to encourage
children practice the habit of reading in a fun, friendly,
and
educational environment.
Childrens Literacy Program
A life without cause is a life without effect.
Volunteers from the University happily share their
time with the children from adopted communities.
The future leaders of the nation. Children ages 6
to 10 with their parents listen to the story read by
Profs. Imee Resurreccion and Daniel Atayde.
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The College of Law strongly supports
the Universitys advocacy for clean and
green communities. The College actively
conducts annual clean-up drive within the
adopted communities to encourage people to
take environmentally responsible behaviour
and achieve visible environmental benefits.
The clean-up drive focuses on litter reduction, recycling and
minimizing waste,
and beautification efforts in the adopted
communities. Currently, the clean-up
activities include picking and sweeping up of
litters, waste segregation, and educational
presentations on the importance of community
involvement in preserving and sustaining the
environment.
Clean-up Drive for Clean and Green Communities
UM Law Cares!
Ms. Marisol Barbacena
(rightmost), 4th year law
student, sweeps up dried
leaves and plastic
containers during the
annual clean-up drive of
the College of Law.
,