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DOJ launches nationwide mediation project
March 22, 2004
Secretary Merceditas N. Gutierrez today announced the launch of the national mediation project of the Department of Justice. This was done in connection with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Steve Rood, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation who is funding the project. This comes in the heels of DOJ's successful pilot mediation project in 2001, which saw the settlement of 93% of cases mediated in the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, and Valenzuela.
Mediation is a process where a trained neutral third party facilitates the voluntary settlement between disputing parties. In this nationwide project covering the areas of Pasig, Rizal, Makati, Pasay, Baguio, Cebu, and Davao, prosecutors and public attorneys will be trained to mediate disputes that carry a penalty of less than six years.
It has been proven in the pilot project that the civil aspects of cases such as bouncing cheques, estafa, reckless imprudence, and minor offenses are easily resolved through mediation. In launching the project, Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez encouraged the public to mediate "because this results in swifter, more satisfying and durable settlement of cases at the fraction of the cost of litigation." She added that, "the settlement of cases at the DOJ will help relieve the courts' overcrowded dockets, while making justice more accessible and efficient."
The training of mediators will be rendered by The Conflict Resolution Group Foundation. The CoRe Group is the most experienced mediation training and research organization in the Philippines, having delivered projects that caused the settlement of up to 94% cases mediated. Among these are those conducted at the Judiciary's Lower Courts, the National Labor Relations Commission, Intellectual Property Office, Department of Trade, and Board of Investments. The CoRe Group is headed by Prof. Annabelle T. Abaya.
Secretary Gutierrez also announced that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will sign on March 29, 2004 the historic "Act to Institutionalize the Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and the Creation of the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution." This office, which will become an attached agency of the Department of Justice is aimed at pushing the use and development of ADR and professionalize the practice of mediation and arbitration.
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