JURISDICTION cultural communities, local systems of settling disputes through their councils of
datus or elders shall be recognized without prejudice to the applicable provisions
Sec. 399-422 RA 7610
CHAPTER VII
Katarungang Pambarangay
Section 399. Lupong Tagapamayapa. -
(a) There is hereby created in each barangay a lupong tagapamayapa, hereinafter
referred to as the lupon, composed of the punong barangay, as chairman and ten
(10) to twenty (20) members. The lupon shall be constituted every three (3) years
in the manner provided herein.
(b) Any person actually residing or working, in the barangay, not otherwise
expressly disqualified by law, and possessing integrity, impartiality, independence
of mind, sense of fairness, and reputation for probity, may be appointed a member
of the lupon.
(c) A notice to constitute the lupon, which shall include the names of proposed
members who have expressed their willingness to serve, shall be prepared by the
punong barangay within the first fifteen (15) days from the start of his term of
office. Such notice shall be posted in three (3) conspicuous places in the barangay
continuously for a period of not less than three (3) weeks;
(d) The punong barangay, taking into consideration any opposition to the proposed
appointment or any recommendations for appointment as may have been made
within the period of posting, shall within ten (10) days thereafter, appoint as
members those whom he determines to be suitable therefor. Appointments shall be
in writing, signed by the punong barangay, and attested to by the barangay
secretary.
(e) The list of appointed members shall be posted in three (3) conspicuous places
in the barangay for the entire duration of their term of office; and
(f) In barangays where majority of the inhabitants are members of indigenous
of this Code.
Section 400. Oath and Term of Office. - Upon appointment, each lupon member shall
take an oath of office before the punong barangay. He shall hold office until a new
lupon is constituted on the third year following his appointment unless sooner
terminated by resignation, transfer of residence or place of work, or withdrawal of
appointment by the punong barangay with the concurrence of the majority of all the
members of the lupon.
Section 401. Vacancies. - Should a vacancy occur in the lupon for any cause, the
punong barangay shall immediately appoint a qualified person who shall hold office
only for the unexpired portion of the term.
Section 402. Functions of the Lupon. - The lupon shall:
(a) Exercise administrative supervision over the conciliation panels provided
herein;
(b) Meet regularly once a month to provide a forum for exchange of ideas among
its members and the public on matters relevant to the amicable settlement of
disputes, and to enable various conciliation panel members to share with one
another their observations and experiences in effecting speedy resolution of
disputes; and
(c) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may
be prescribed by law or ordinance.
Section 403. Secretary of the Lupon. - The barangay secretary shall concurrently serve
as the secretary of the lupon. He shall record the results of mediation proceedings
before the punong barangay and shall submit a report thereon to the proper city or
municipal courts. He shall also receive and keep the records of proceedings submitted
to him by the various conciliation panels.
Section 404. Pangkat ng Tagapagkasundo. -
(a) There shall be constituted for each dispute brought before the lupon a
conciliation panel to be known as the pangkat ng tagapagkasundo, hereinafter
 referred to as the pangkat, consisting of three (3) members who shall be chosen by
the parties to the dispute from the list of members of the lupon.
Should the parties fail to agree on the pangkat membership, the same shall be
determined by lots drawn by the lupon chairman.
(b) The three (3) members constituting the pangkat shall elect from among
themselves the chairman and the secretary. The secretary shall prepare the minutes
of the pangkat proceedings and submit a copy duly attested to by the chairman to
the lupon secretary and to the proper city or municipal court. He shall issue and
cause to be served notices to the parties concerned.
The lupon secretary shall issue certified true copies of any public record in his
custody that is not by law otherwise declared confidential.
Section 405. Vacancies in the Pangkat. - Any vacancy in the pangkat shall be chosen
by the parties to the dispute from among the other lupon members. Should the parties
fail to agree on a common choice, the vacancy shall be filled by lot to be drawn by the
lupon chairman.
Section 406. Character of Office and Service of Lupon Members. -
(a) The lupon members, while in the performance of their official duties or on the
occasion thereof, shall be deemed as persons in authority, as defined in the Revised
Penal Code.
(b) The lupon or pangkat members shall serve without compensation, except as
provided for in Section 393 and without prejudice to incentives as provided for in
this Section and in Book IV of this Code. The Department of the Interior and Local
Government shall provide for a system of granting economic or other incentives to
the lupon or pangkat members who adequately demonstrate the ability to
judiciously and expeditiously resolve cases referred to them. While in the
performance of their duties, the lupon or pangkat members, whether in public or
private employment, shall be deemed to be on official time, and shall not suffer
from any diminution in compensation or allowance from said employment by
reason thereof.
Section 407. Legal Advice on Matters Involving Questions of Law. - The provincial,
city legal officer or prosecutor or the municipal legal officer shall render legal advice
on matters involving questions of law to the punong barangay or any lupon or pangkat
member whenever necessary in the exercise of his functions in the administration of
the katarungang pambarangay.
Section 408. Subject Matter for Amicable Settlement; Exception Thereto. - The lupon
of each barangay shall have authority to bring together the parties actually residing in
the same city or municipality for amicable settlement of all disputes except:
(a) Where one party is the government, or any subdivision or instrumentality
thereof;
(b) Where one party is a public officer or employee, and the dispute relates to the
performance of his official functions;
(c) Offenses punishable by imprisonment exceeding one (1) year or a fine
exceeding Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00);
(d) Offenses where there is no private offended party;
(e) Where the dispute involves real properties located in different cities or
municipalities unless the parties thereto agree to submit their differences to
amicable settlement by an appropriate lupon;
(f) Disputes involving parties who actually reside in barangays of different cities or
municipalities, except where such barangay units adjoin each other and the parties
thereto agree to submit their differences to amicable settlement by an appropriate
lupon;
(g) Such other classes of disputes which the President may determine in the
interest of Justice or upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Justice.
The court in which non-criminal cases not falling within the authority of the lupon
under this Code are filed may, at any time before trial motu propio refer the case to
the lupon concerned for amicable settlement.
Section 409. Venue. -
(a) Disputes between persons actually residing in the same barangay shall be
 brought for amicable settlement before the lupon of said barangay.
(b) Those involving actual residents of different barangays within the same city or
municipality shall be brought in the barangay where the respondent or any of the
respondents actually resides, at the election of the complaint.
(c) All disputes involving real property or any interest therein shall be brought in
the barangay where the real property or the larger portion thereof is situated.
(d) Those arising at the workplace where the contending parties are employed or at
the institution where such parties are enrolled for study, shall be brought in the
barangay where such workplace or institution is located.
Objections to venue shall be raised in the mediation proceedings before the punong
barangay; otherwise, the same shall be deemed waived. Any legal question which
may confront the punong barangay in resolving objections to venue herein referred
to may be submitted to the Secretary of Justice, or his duly designated
representative, whose ruling thereon shall be binding.
Section 410. Procedure for Amicable Settlement. -
(a) Who may initiate proceeding - Upon payment of the appropriate filing fee, any
individual who has a cause of action against another individual involving any
matter within the authority of the lupon may complain, orally or in writing, to the
lupon chairman of the barangay.
(b) Mediation by lupon chairman - Upon receipt of the complaint, the lupon
chairman shall within the next working day summon the respondent(s), with notice
to the complainant(s) for them and their witnesses to appear before him for a
mediation of their conflicting interests. If he fails in his mediation effort within
fifteen (15) days from the first meeting of the parties before him, he shall forthwith
set a date for the constitution of the pangkat in accordance with the provisions of
this Chapter.
(c) Suspension of prescriptive period of offenses - While the dispute is under
mediation, conciliation, or arbitration, the prescriptive periods for offenses and
cause of action under existing laws shall be interrupted upon filing the complaint
with the punong barangay. The prescriptive periods shall resume upon receipt by
the complainant of the complainant or the certificate of repudiation or of the
certification to file action issued by the lupon or pangkat secretary: Provided,
however, That such interruption shall not exceed sixty (60) days from the filing of
the complaint with the punong barangay.
(d) Issuance of summons; hearing; grounds for disqualification - The pangkat shall
convene not later than three (3) days from its constitution, on the day and hour set
by the lupon chairman, to hear both parties and their witnesses, simplify issues,
and explore all possibilities for amicable settlement. For this purpose, the pangkat
may issue summons for the personal appearance of parties and witnesses before it.
In the event that a party moves to disqualify any member of the pangkat by reason
of relationship, bias, interest, or any other similar grounds discovered after the
constitution of the pangkat, the matter shall be resolved by the affirmative vote of
the majority of the pangkat whose decision shall be final. Should disqualification
be decided upon, the resulting vacancy shall be filled as herein provided for.
(e) Period to arrive at a settlement - The pangkat shall arrive at a settlement or
resolution of the dispute within fifteen (15) days from the day it convenes in
accordance with this section. This period shall, at the discretion of the pangkat, be
extendible for another period which shall not exceed fifteen (15) days, except in
clearly meritorious cases.
Section 411. Form of settlement. - All amicable settlements shall be in writing, in a
language or dialect known to the parties, signed by them, and attested to by the lupon
chairman or the pangkat chairman, as the case may be. When the parties to the dispute
do not use the same language or dialect, the settlement shall be written in the language
known to them.
Section 412. Conciliation. -
(a) Pre-condition to Filing of Complaint in Court. - No complaint, petition, action,
or proceeding involving any matter within the authority of the lupon shall be filed
or instituted directly in court or any other government office for adjudication,
unless there has been a confrontation between the parties before the lupon
chairman or the pangkat, and that no conciliation or settlement has been reached as
certified by the lupon secretary or pangkat secretary as attested to by the lupon or
pangkat chairman or unless the settlement has been repudiated by the parties
thereto.
(b) Where Parties May Go Directly to Court. - The parties may go directly to court
 in the following instances:
(1) Where the accused is under detention;
(2) Where a person has otherwise been deprived of personal liberty calling for
habeas corpus proceedings;
(3) Where actions are coupled with provisional remedies such as preliminary
injunction, attachment, delivery of personal property and support pendente
lite; and
(4) Where the action may otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations.
(c) Conciliation among members of indigenous cultural communities. - The
customs and traditions of indigenous cultural communities shall be applied in
settling disputes between members of the cultural communities.
Section 413. Arbitration. -
(a) The parties may, at any stage of the proceedings, agree in writing that they shall
abide by the arbitration award of the lupon chairman or the pangkat. Such
agreement to arbitrate may be repudiated within five (5) days from the date thereof
for the same grounds and in accordance with the procedure hereinafter prescribed.
The arbitration award shall be made after the lapse of the period for repudiation
and within ten (10) days thereafter.
(b) The arbitration award shall be in writing in a language or dialect known to the
parties. When the parties to the dispute do not use the same language or dialect, the
award shall be written in the language or dialect known to them.
Section 414. Proceedings Open to the Public; Exception. - All proceedings for
settlement shall be public and informal: Provided, however, That the lupon chairman or
the pangkat chairman, as the case may be, may motu proprio or upon request of a party,
exclude the public from the proceedings in the interest of privacy, decency, or public
morals.
Section 415. Appearance of Parties in Person. - In all katarungang pambarangay
proceedings, the parties must appear in person without the assistance of counsel or
representative, except for minors and incompetents who may be assisted by their next-
of-kin who are not lawyers.
Section 416. Effect of Amicable Settlement and Arbitration Award. - The amicable
settlement and arbitration award shall have the force and effect of a final judgment of a
court upon the expiration of ten (10) days from the date thereof, unless repudiation of
the settlement has been made or a petition to nullify the award has been filed before the
proper city or municipal court.
However, this provision shall not apply to court cases settled by the lupon under the
last paragraph of Section 408 of this Code, in which case the compromise or the
pangkat chairman shall be submitted to the court and upon approval thereof, have the
force and effect of a judgment of said court.
Section 417. Execution. - The amicable settlement or arbitration award may be
enforced by execution by the lupon within six (6) months from the date of the
settlement. After the lapse of such time, the settlement may be enforced by action in the
appropriate city or municipal court.
Section 418. Repudiation. - Any party to the dispute may, within ten (10) days from the
date of the settlement, repudiate the same by filing with the lupon chairman a statement
to that effect sworn to before him, where the consent is vitiated by fraud, violence, or
intimidation. Such repudiation shall be sufficient basis for the issuance of the
certification for filing a complaint as hereinabove provided.
Section 419. Transmittal of Settlement and Arbitration. - Award to the Court. - The
secretary of the lupon shall transmit the settlement or the arbitration award to the
appropriate city or municipal court within five (5) days from the date of the award or
from the lapse of the ten-day period repudiating the settlement and shall furnish copies
thereof to each of the parties to the settlement and the lupon chairman.
Section 420. Power to Administer Oaths. - The punong barangay, as chairman of the
lupong tagapamayapa, and the members of the pangkat are hereby authorized to
administer oaths in connection with any matter relating to all proceedings in the
implementation of the katarungang pambarangay.
Section 421. Administration; Rules and Regulations. - The city or municipal mayor, as
the case may be, shall see to the efficient and effective implementation and
administration of the katarungang pambarangay. The Secretary of Justice shall
promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to implement this Chapter.
Section 422. Appropriations. - Such amount as may be necessary for the effective
implementation of the katarungang pambarangay shall be provided for in the annual
budget of the city or municipality concerned.
CIRCULAR NO. 14-93 July 15, 1993
TO: ALL REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS, METROPOLITAN TRIAL
COURTS, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS AND MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT
TRIAL COURTS
SUBJECT: GUIDELINES ON THE KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY
CONCILIATION PROCEDURE TO PREVENT CIRCUMVENTION OF
THE REVISED KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY LAW (SECTIONS
399-422, CHAPTER VII, TITLE I, BOOK III, R.A. 7160. OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991).
The Revised Katarungang Pambarangay Law under R.A. 7160, otherwise known as the
local Government Code of 1991, effective on January 1, 1992, and which repealed P.D.
1508, introduced substantial changes not only in the authority granted to the Lupong
Tagapamayapa but also in the procedure to be observed in the settlement of disputes
within the authority of the Lupon.
In order that the laudable purpose of the law may not be subverted and its effectiveness
undermined by indiscriminate, improper and/or premature issuance of certifications to
file actions in court by the Lupon or Pangkat Secretaries, attested by the
Lupon/Pangkat Chairmen, respectively, the following guidelines are hereby issued for
the information of trial court judges in cases brought before them coming from the
Barangays:
I. All disputes are subject to Barangay conciliation pursuant to the Revised
Katarungang Pambarangay Law (formerly P.D. 1508, repealed and now replaced by
Secs. 399-422, Chapter VII, Title I, Book III, and Sec. 515, Title I, Book IV, R.A. 7160,
otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991), and prior recourse thereto is
a pre-condition before filing a complaint in court or any government offices, except in
the following disputes:
1. Where one party is the government, or any subdivision or instrumentality
thereof;
2. Where one party is a public officer or employee, and the dispute relates to
the performance of his official functions;
3. Where the dispute involves real properties located in different cities and
municipalities, unless the parties thereto agree to submit their difference to
amicable settlement by an appropriate Lupon;
4. Any complaint by or against corporations, partnership or juridical entities,
since only individuals shall be parties to Barangay conciliation proceedings
either as complainants or respondents (Sec. 1, Rule VI, Katarungang
Pambarangay Rules);
5. Disputes involving parties who actually reside in barangays of different
cities or municipalities, except where such barangay units adjoin each other
and the parties thereto agree to submit their differences to amicable settlement
by an appropriate Lupon;
6. Offenses for which the law prescribes a maximum penalty of imprisonment
exceeding one (1) year or a fine over five thousand pesos (P5,000.00);
7. Offenses where there is no private offended party;
8. Disputes where urgent legal action is necessary to prevent injustice from
being committed or further continued, specifically the following:
a. Criminal cases where accused is under police custody or detention
(see Sec. 412 (b) (1), Revised Katarungang Pambarangay Law);
b. Petitions for habeas corpus by a person illegally deprived of his
rightful custody over another or a person illegally deprived or on
acting in his behalf;
c. Actions coupled with provisional remedies such as preliminary
injunction, attachment, delivery of personal property and support
during the pendency of the action; and
 d. Actions which may be barred by the Statute of Limitations.
9. Any class of disputes which the President may determine in the interest of
justice or upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Justice;
10. Where the dispute arises from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law
(CARL) (Sec. 46 & 47, R.A. 6657);
11. Labor disputes or controversies arising from employer-employee relations
(Montoya vs. Escayo, et al., 171 SCRA 442; Art. 226, Labor Code, as
amended, which grants original and exclusive jurisdiction over conciliation
and mediation of disputes, grievances or problems to certain offices of the
Department of Labor and Employment);
12. Actions to annul judgment upon a compromise which may be filed directly
in court (See Sanchez vs. Tupaz, 158 SCRA 459).
II. Under the provisions of R.A. 7160 on Katarungang Pambarangay conciliation, as
implemented by the Katarungang Pambarangay Rules and Regulations promulgated by
the Secretary of Justice, the certification for filing a complaint in court or any
government office shall be issued by Barangay authorities only upon compliance with
the following requirements:
1. Issued by the Lupon Secretary and attested by the Lupon Chairman (Punong
Barangay), certifying that a confrontation of the parties has taken place and
that a conciliation settlement has been reached, but the same has been
subsequently repudiated (Sec. 412, Revised Katarungang Pambarangay Law;
Sec. 2[h], Rule III, Katarungang Pambarangay Rules);
2. Issued by the Pangkat Secretary and attested by the Pangkat Chairman,
certifying that:
a. a confrontation of the parties took place but no
conciliation/settlement has been reached (Sec. 4[f], Rule III,
Katarungang Pambarangay Rules; or
b. that no personal confrontation took place before the Pangkat
through no fault of the complainant (Sec. 4[f], Rule III, Katarungang
Pambarangay Rules).
3. Issued by the Punong Barangay, as requested by the proper party on the
ground of failure of settlement where the dispute involves members of the
same indigenous cultural community, which shall be settled in accordance
with the customs and traditions of that particular cultural community, or where
one or more of the parties to the aforesaid dispute belong to the minority and
the parties mutually agreed to submit their dispute to the indigenous system of
amicable settlement, and there has been no settlement as certified by the datu
or tribal leader or elder to the Punong Barangay of place of settlement (Secs.
1,4 & 5, Rule IX, Katarungang Pambarangay Rules); and
4. If mediation or conciliation efforts before the Punong Barangay proved
unsuccessful, there having been no agreement to arbitrate (Sec. 410 [b],
Revised Katarungang Pambarangay Law; Sec. 1, c. (1), Rule III, Katarungang
Pambarangay Rules), or where the respondent fails to appear at the mediation
proceeding before the Punong Barangay (3rd par. Sec. 8, a, Rule VI,
Katarungang Pambarangay Rules), the Punong Barangay shall not cause the
issuance at this stage of a certification to file action, because it is now
mandatory for him to constitute the Pangkat before whom mediation,
conciliation, or arbitration proceedings shall be held.
III. All complaints and/or informations filed or raffled to your sala/branch of the
Regional Trial Court shall be carefully read and scrutinized to determine if there has
been compliance with prior Barangay conciliation procedure under the Revised
Katarungang Pambarangay Law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, as a pre-
condition to judicial action, particularly whether the certification to file action attached
to the records of the case comply with the requirements hereinabove enumerated in par.
II;
IV. A case filed in court without compliance with prior Barangay conciliation which is
a pre-condition for formal adjudication (Sec. 412 [a] of the Revised Katarungang
Pambarangay Law) may be dismissed upon motion of defendant/s, not for lack of
jurisdiction of the court but for failure to state a cause of action or prematurity (Royales
vs. IAC, 127 SCRA 470; Gonzales vs. CA, 151 SCRA 289), or the court may suspend
proceedings upon petition of any party under Sec. 1, Rule 21 of the Rules of Court; and
refer the case motu proprio to the appropriate Barangay authority, applying by analogy
Sec. 408 [g], 2nd par., of the Revised Katarungang Pambarangay Law which reads as
follows:
The court in which non-criminal cases not falling within the authority of the
Lupon under this Code are filed may at any time before trial, motu proprio
refer case to the Lupon concerned for amicable settlement.
Strict observance of these guidelines is enjoined. This Administrative Circular shall be
effective immediately.
Manila, Philippines. July 15, 1993.
(Sgd.) ANDRES R. NARVASA
Chief Justice
Republic Act No. 7691 March 25, 1994
AN ACT EXPANDING THE JURISDICTION OF THE METROPOLITAN
TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS, AND MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT
TRIAL COURTS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA,
BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION
ACT OF 1980"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled::
Section 1. Section 19 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, otherwise known as the "Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980", is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 19. Jurisdiction in civil cases. – Regional Trial Courts shall exercise
exclusive original jurisdiction.
"(1) In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of
pecuniary estimation;
"(2) In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real
property, or any interest therein, where the assessed value of the property
involved exceeds Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000,00) or, for civil actions in
Metro Manila, where such value exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00)
except actions for forcible entry into and unlawful detainer of lands or
buildings, original jurisdiction over which is conferred upon the Metropolitan
Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts;
"(3) In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the demand or
claim exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in Metro
Manila, where such demand or claim exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos
(P200,000.00);
"(4) In all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where the gross value
of the estate exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in probate
matters in Metro Manila, where such gross value exceeds Two Hundred
thousand pesos (P200,000.00);
"(5) In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations;
"(6) In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal,
person or body exercising jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body
exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions;
"(7) In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the exclusive
original jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and of the
Court of Agrarian Relations as now provided by law; and
"(8) In all other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of
whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs or the value of the
property in controversy exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00)
or, in such other cases in Metro Manila, where the demand exclusive of the
abovementioned items exceeds Two Hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00)."
Section 2. Section 32 of the same law is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 32. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in Criminal Cases. – Except in cases falling within
the exclusive original jurisdiction of Regional Trial Courts and of the
 Sandiganbayan, the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:
"(1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations of city or municipal
ordinances committed within their respective territorial jurisdiction; and
"(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses punishable with
imprisonment not exceeding six (6) years irrespective of the amount of fine,
and regardless of other imposable accessory or other penalties, including the
civil liability arising from such offenses or predicated thereon, irrespective of
kind, nature, value or amount thereof: Provided, however, That in offenses
involving damage to property through criminal negligence, they shall have
exclusive original jurisdiction thereof."
Section 3. Section 33 of the same law is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 33. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in Civil Cases. – Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:
"(1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions and probate proceedings,
testate and intestate, including the grant of provisional remedies in proper
cases, where the value of the personal property, estate, or amount of the
demand does not exceed One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in
Metro Manila where such personal property, estate, or amount of the demand
does not exceed Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00), exclusive of
interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and
costs, the amount of which must be specifically alleged: Provided, That
interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and
costs shall be included in the determination of the filing fees: Provided,
further, That where there are several claims or causes of actions between the
same or different parties, embodied in the same complaint, the amount of the
demand shall be the totality of the claims in all the causes of action,
irrespective of whether the causes of action arose out of the same or different
transactions;
"(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over cases of forcible entry and unlawful
detainer: Provided, That when, in such cases, the defendant raises the
questions of ownership in his pleadings and the question of possession cannot
be resolved without deciding the issue of ownership, the issue of ownership
shall be resolved only to determine the issue of possession; and
"(3) Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which involve title to, or
possession of, real property, or any interest therein where the assessed value of
the property or interest therein does not exceed Twenty thousand pesos
(P20,000.00) or, in civil actions in Metro Manila, where such assessed value
does not exceed Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) exclusive of interest,
damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses and costs:
Provided, That in cases of land not declared for taxation purposes, the value of
such property shall be determined by the assessed value of the adjacent lots."
Section 4. Section 34 of the same law is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 34. Delegated Jurisdiction in Cadastral and Land Registration Cases. –
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts may be assigned by the Supreme Court to hear and determine cadastral or
land registration cases covering lots where there is no controversy or opposition, or
contested lots where the value of which does not exceed One hundred thousand
pesos (P100,000.00), such value to be ascertained by the affidavit of the claimant
or by agreement of the respective claimants if there are more than one, or from the
corresponding tax declaration of the real property. Their decisions in these cases
shall be appealable in the same manner as decisions of the Regional Trial Courts."
Section 5. After five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act, the jurisdictional
amounts mentioned in Sec. 19(3), (4), and (8); and Sec. 33(1) of Batas Pambansa Blg.
129 as amended by this Act, shall be adjusted to Two hundred thousand pesos
(P200,000.00). Five (5) years thereafter, such jurisdictional amounts shall be adjusted
further to Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00): Provided, however, That in the
case of Metro Manila, the abovementioned jurisdictional amounts shall be adjusted
after five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act to Four hundred thousand pesos
(P400,000.00).
Section 6. All laws, decrees, and orders inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
shall be considered amended or modified accordingly.
Section 7. The provisions of this Act shall apply to all civil cases that have not yet
reached the pre-trial stage. However, by agreement of all the parties, civil cases
cognizable by municipal and metropolitan courts by the provisions of this Act may be
transferred from the Regional Trial Courts to the latter. The executive judge of the
appropriate Regional Trial Courts shall define the administrative procedure of
transferring the cases affected by the redefinition of jurisdiction to the Metropolitan
Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts.

Section 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the
Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved: March 25, 1994