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ATTORNEY’S
OFFICE
QUALITY
MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM MANUAL
ESS.M.001/REV.1
Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose of this Quality Management System Manual
1.2 Revision and Distribution of this Quality Management System Manual
2. PAO PROFILE
2.1 About the Organization
2.2 Organizational Structure
3. MISSION and VISION
3.1 Our Mission
3.2 Our Vision
3.3 Mandate and Functions
3.4 Our Policy for Quality
4. PAO QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
4.1 Scope of the Quality Management System
4.2 PAO Process Map
4.3 Process-based Management Systems
4.3.1 Management Processes
4.3.2 Core Processes
4.3.3 Support Processes
5. PROCESSES OF THE PAO QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
5.1 Management Processes
5.1.1 Policy Formulation
5.1.2 Planning Performance Review
5.1.2.1 Preparation of Statistical Reports
5.1.3 Internal Audit
5.1.4 Improvement Management
5.1.4.1 Control of Non-Conforming Outputs
5.1.4.2 Corrective Action
5.1.4.3 Feedback Management
5.1.4.4 Administrative Investigation
5.2 Core Processes
5.2.1Judicial and Quasi-Judicial Services
5.2.1.1 Representation and Assistance before Judicial, Quasi-Judicial
and Appellate Courts
5.2.1.2 Mediation and Conciliation Services
5.2.2 Non-Judicial Services
5.2.2.1 Legal Counselling
5.2.2.2 Documentation and Administration of Oaths
5.2.2.3 Legal Information Dissemination and Outreach Program
5.2.2.4 Jail Visitation / Decongestion Program
5.2.2.5 Inquest Assistance
5.3 Support Processes
5.3.1 Human Resource Management
5.3.1.1 Recruitment and Selection Process
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
Page 3 of 23
Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
1. INTRODUCTION
This Quality Management System (QMS) Manual sets out Public Attorney’s
Office (PAO) policy and directions and outlines the interrelated processes that
support our goal of ensuring our services meet both the specified client
requirements and our business objectives in a consistent, ecological and
reliable manner.
Moreover, this Quality Manual defines the manner in which PAO implements
a QMS that satisfies the requirements of the internationally recognized ISO
9001 Standard and provides an important documentary guide to the system
as a whole.
The purpose of the Manual along with the various quality management
system processes and their associated documents mentioned here are:
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
2. PAO PROFILE
The PAO Central Office is located at the DOJ Agencies Building, NIA Road
corner East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. The regional and district/sub-
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Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
Currently, the PAO has 17 regional offices and 316 district offices and 4
sub-district offices. Most of these offices are situated at the Halls of Justice
nationwide along with the courts and other offices involved in the
administration of justice.
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
STAFF
REGIONAL
OFFICES
DISTRICT
OFFICES
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Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
We pledge to fulfill our mandate with utmost honesty, sincerity and respect for
the rule of law and justice. Further, we endeavor to upgrade our facilities and
adapt to global changes in information technology systems, and tools to be
more effective and efficient in responding to the dynamic legal needs of our
clientele.
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Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
The PAO QMS applies to all operations and processes required to deliver free
legal services to its indigent clients and other persons qualified for legal
assistance in the following offices:
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Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
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· Non-Judicial Services
o Legal Counselling
o Documentation (i.e., preparation of affidavits and
administration of oaths)
o Custodial/Inquest Assistance
o Jail Visitations
o Barangay Outreach Activities
Further, the PAO’s QMS satisfies the full range of requirements specified by
ISO 9001:2015 with a notable clarification on the applicability of ISO
9001:2015 Clause 8.3 – Design and Development of Products and
Services, as justified below:
The statutory mandate of PAO to provide free legal services and assistance to
its clientele is subject to, and governed by, its enabling law (i.e., Republic Act
No. 9406, entitled as “AN ACT REORGANIZING AND STRENGTHENING
THE PUBLIC ATTORNEY'S OFFICE (PAO), AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 292,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1987", AS
AMENDED, GRANTING SPECIAL ALLOWANCE TO PAO OFFICIALS AND
LAWYERS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR), including its
implementing rules and regulations. Moreover, the PAO’s core processes
largely depend on the Rules of Court for judicial cases in all courts, and the
procedural and substantive rules of other quasi-judicial agencies/bodies in
which it represents its clients.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
Page 9 of 23
Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
Page 10 of 23
Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
These include all the processes that have direct interaction with the
information, materials, and activities employed to provide the intended outputs
of PAO’s services ranging from Judicial, Quasi-Judicial and Non-Judicial
Services.
These include all those processes for the provision and maintenance of the
resources that are needed for the effective operation of the core processes.
Such processes include human resource management, information and
documentation management, infrastructure management, financial
management, supplies management and outsource services management.
Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9406 or the PAO Law, the authority and
responsibility for the exercise of the mandate of the PAO and for the
discharge of its powers and functions shall be vested in the Chief Public
Attorney. Semi-annual or upon the discretion of the Chief Public Attorney,
however, the Deputy Chief Public Attorneys, Regional Public Attorneys and
Service Heads are called upon to review internal and external issues of the
organization, formulate uniform policies to address the issues, adopt
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Once the report is complete and finalized, the Statistician submits it to the
Service Head for checking and analysis. After which, it is submitted to the
FPMS Director and finally to the Office of the Chief Public Attorney for review
and approval.
PAO ensures that the established QMS continues to meet our Performance
Commitment and Targets, planned actions and results. Adequacy,
conformance, effectiveness as well as efficiency of the processes of the QMS
are verified by systematic internal audits conducted by internal auditors.
These audits provide feedback to the management for them to drive
continuous improvement of PAO’s QMS processes.
Internal audits cover the entire QMS and its processes and are scheduled
according to a yearly auditing plan taking into consideration the status and
importance of the activities to be audited as well as the results of the previous
audits.
The summary of the results of the internal audit is reviewed as part of the
Staff and Management Meetings. Following each audit, the results are
recorded and brought to the attention of the personnel having responsibility
for the activity under audit.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Revision No: 1
The delivery of PAO’s services necessitates that planned results are fulfilled
in accordance with the relevant internal and externally mandated
specifications. As such, it is the policy of PAO to identify, control and prevent
delivery of process outputs that do not conform to specified requirements.
* audit findings;
* customer complaints;
* nonconforming outputs;
* and others
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Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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PAO will always strive to satisfy the needs and expectations of our clients.
Thus, PAO is committed to pay attention to our clients’ needs including their
concerns. PAO has established methods for obtaining, monitoring and
reviewing this information to ensure that inquiries will be answered and
expectations are effectively fulfilled, these will include:
Complaints of our clients will be acted as soon as possible. The level of client
satisfaction is reviewed once a month but depending on the seriousness of
the complaints. This is done by analyzing the information obtained from client
feedback. Appropriate action is decided, based upon the results of the
analyses and reviews conducted, to ensure that levels of client satisfaction
are as high as reasonably possible.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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The PAO, under its enabling law, RA No. 9406, sustains prompt,
uninterrupted and exhaustive legal representation of indigent clients and other
persons qualified for legal assistance in conformity with the statutory mandate
of the PAO in cases pending before the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal
Trial Courts, Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities,
Regional Trial Courts, Sandiganbayan and Quasi-Judicial agencies, subject to
limitations with respect to certain types of cases, and the PAO’s merit and
indigency tests, as provided in the PAO Operations Manual.
Likewise, the PAO also handles cases before appellate courts. It is part of the
commitment of the PAO to render full representation to its clients.
The PAO lawyers and staff observe a procedure in handling and rendering
Mediation and Conciliation services to indigents and other qualified persons.
Upon determination that a case can be mediated, the Public Attorney is
expected to assist the client to undergo the said process.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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All legal queries and concerns received from walk-in clients, through phone-in
queries, sent through the PAO official electronic mail address, through
ordinary mail and through 8888 Citizen’s Complaint Hotline Portal, are amply
addressed by public attorneys through direct consultation or written legal
advice.
Public Attorneys are authorized, under R.A. No. 9406 or the PAO Law, to
administer oaths in connection with the performance of their duty.
Concomitantly, Public Attorneys assist persons in the preparation of affidavits,
instruments or other similar documents, and administer oaths, provided the
documents involved are not commercial documents.
To further reach out to the indigent members of our society, the PAO
conducts Barangay Legal Outreach programs in coordination with other
government departments, agencies, local government units and non-
government organizations for the purpose of legal information dissemination,
legal consultation/counselling, lectures, and other instant services.
The PAO regularly schedules jail visitation and conducts jail decongestions
programs, during which persons deprived of liberty who are without counsel,
who have been in custody beyond the allowable period, who have not yet been
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
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Through this process, the PAO assures that public attorneys are ready to
render assistance at any time of the day to persons arrested. Public attorneys
are to ensure the legality of the arrest or detention of the suspect, and that
any arrested/detained person who appears to have been tortured is
immediately brought to the nearest government medical practitioner or to a
private physician. Public attorneys shall render legal assistance to such
arrested suspect in custodial and inquest investigation.
Like any other organization which controls group of companies, PAO believes
that the human resource capital is the most important asset of its long-term
operational sustainability. As such, PAO is fully committed to continuously
enhance the organization’s human resources to be better equipped and
responsive to the growing demands of a dynamic and highly competitive
environment.
To ensure that PAO affiliates, maintains (please check) highly qualified and
competent personnel, the Human Resource Management and Development
Division (HRMDD) follows a recruitment procedure in hiring personnel and
periodically evaluates the workforce against key performance criteria following
the existing rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission.
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Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
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The office will determine if they have a need for a new employee. If such need
arises, the office will hire an additional employee.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
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● DTR
● Appointment
● Oath of Office
● Certificate of Assumption
● LBP Account Number
Transport service is carried out when interested party submits a request to the
General Services Section (GSS) for an office vehicle for use on an official trip.
The GSS staff will prepare the Trip Ticket indicating therein the name of the
requesting party, purpose of the trip, destination and time of departure of the
travel.
Once the prepared Trip Ticket is done and approved, the assigned vehicle
and driver will be dispatched in accordance with the planned travel.
After the trip, all the Trip Tickets will be signed by thier respective driver and
passenger/s for documentation purposes.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Document Code: ESS.M.001
Revision No: 1
PAO operates with the support from selected service providers such as
Janitorial Services, Security Services, Billing Services, among others. PAO
also maintains the responsibility for ensuring that the expected outputs of
these outsourced-service providers are in accordance with the requirements
of PAO. The Head of the Administrative Service constantly communicate with
the key personnel of these service providers. Information needed by the
service providers are provided timely, completely and accurately to ensure a
smooth flow of the operation.
Other than the routine monitoring and supervision of the tasks assigned to a
service provider, PAO conducts periodical evaluation on the performance of
these outsourced-service providers.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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This process ensures that all documents for the guidance of the operation of
the entire organization of PAO are timely and properly disseminated,
controlled and protected from unauthorized use and access, and are
immediately retrievable for reference, where and when it is needed. This is
necessary in order to ensure that organizational knowledge is maintained and
easily accessible to all members of the PAO, in aid of all their functions.
Once documents are disseminated to all concerned, the office records are
properly identified, labeled, filed, stored, protected from harmful elements and
can be easily retrieved. These records must remain legible and identifiable
throughout their retention period.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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Together with the Bid and Awards Committee members, supplies are
procured and sent to the various Service and Field Offices.
(Sgd.) (Sgd.)
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa M. Soriano Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, DSD
Quality Management Representative Chief Public Attorney
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