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

SECTION 1. Section One hundred and sixty-three of Republic Act Numbered Thirty-eight hundred and forty-four, otherwise known as the "Agricultural Land Reform Code" is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 163. Functions of the Office of the Agrarian Counsel.—It shall be the responsibility of the Office of Agrarian Counsel, upon proper notification by the party concerned or by the association or organization to which he belongs, to represent tenants, agricultural lessees, agricultural farm workers and agricultural owner-cultivators or the members of their immediate farm household referred to in this Code who cannot engage the services of competent private counsel in cases before the Court of Agrarian Relations. This responsibility shall include representation before courts, including appellate, in cases, civil or criminal, instituted by or against said tenant, agricultural lessees, farm workers or owner-cultivators or the members of their immediate farm household, where the cases arise from or are connected with, or are results or effects of an agrarian dispute.

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 17, 1967.