Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. An additional branch of the Regional Trial Court to be stationed in the City of Sorsogon, situated in the Province of Sorsogon, is hereby created in the Fifth Judicial Region.

SEC. 2. The Supreme Court shall assign the branch number for the newly created branch of the Regional Trial Court in the Fifth Judicial Region.

SEC. 3. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice, shall immediately include in the Court’s program the operationalization of the additional branch of the Regional Trial Court in the City of Sorsogon, the funding of which shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. The funds necessary for the operation of the court herein created shall be appropriated and released only upon the actual organization of the court and the appointment of its personnel.

SEC. 4. Section 14 (f) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, otherwise known as “The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980”, as amended, and all other laws, executive orders, and rules and regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

(SGD.) FRANKLIN M. DRILON President of the Senate

(SGD.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR. Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was passed by the House of Representatives on June 9, 2014, amended by the Senate on July 28, 2015, and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on September 23, 2015.

(SGD.) OSCAR G. YABES Secretary of the Senate

(SGD.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: DECEMBER 9, 2015

(SGD.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
President of the Philippines