What are the circulars or orders issued or cases decided or programs initiated

by the Supreme Court that grant indigent citizen free access to courts?

A.M No. 00-2-01-SC March 1, 2001

RESOLUTION AMENDING RULE 141 (LEGAL FEES) OF THE RULES OF COURT

SEC. 18. Indigent-litigants exempt from payment of legal fees. - Indigent-

litigants (a) whose gross income and that of their immediate family do not
exceed four thousand (P4,000.00) pesos a month if residing in Metro Manila,
and three thousand (P3,000.00) pesos a month if residing outside Metro
Manila, and (b) who do not own real property with an assessed value of more
than fifty thousand (P50,000.00) pesos shall be exempt from the payment of
legal fees.  
The legal fees shall be a lien on any judgment rendered in the case favorably
to the indigent litigant, unless the court otherwise provides.  
To be entitled to the exemption herein provided, the litigant shall execute an
affidavit that he and his immediate family do not earn a gross income
abovementioned, nor they own any real property with the assessed value
aforementioned, supported by an affidavit of a disinterested person attesting
to the truth of the litigant's affidavit.  
Any falsity in the affidavit of a litigant or disinterested person shall be
sufficient cause to strike out the pleading of that party, without prejudice to
whatever criminal liability may have been incurred. 

MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR No. 18 Series of 2002 May 9, 2002

SUBJECT: AMENDED STANDARD OFFICE PROCEDURES IN EXTENDING

LEGAL ASSISTANCE
This hereby amends Memorandum Circular No. 5, Series of 1997, dated
August 21, 1997, issued by then Chief Public Attorney, Atty. Reynold S.
Fajardo.

3. A.M. No. 08-11-7-SC               August 28, 2009

RE: REQUEST OF NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AID1 TO EXEMPT LEGAL

AID CLIENTS FROM PAYING FILING, DOCKET AND OTHER FEES.

4. A.M. No. 08-11-7-SC (IRR)             September 10, 2009

RULE ON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES OF THE

CLIENTS OF THE NATIONAL LEGAL AID COMMITTEE (NCLA) AND OF THE
LEGAL AID OFFICES IN THE LOCAL CHAPTERS OF THE INTEGRATED BAR OF
THE PHILIPPINES (IBP)
Pursuant to En Banc Resolution in A.M. No. 08-11-7-SC dated August 28,
2009, the Court Resolved to APPROVE A.M. No. 08-11-7-SC (IRR): Re Rule on
the Exemption From the Payment of Legal Fees of the Clients of the National
Legal Aid Committee (NCLA) and of the Legal Aid Offices in the Local
Chapters of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

5. OCA CIRCULAR NO. 137-2 October 7, 2009

EXEMPTION FROM THE PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES OF TH E CLI ENTS OF

TH E NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AID (NCLA) AND OF THE LEGAL AID
OFFICES IN THE LOCAL CHAPTERS OF TIlE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE
PHILIPPINES (IBP)

6. B.M. No. 2012, September 18, 2012

PROPOSED RULE ON MANDATORY LEGAL AID SERVICE FOR PRACTICING

LAWYERS

In its endeavor "to address [the] limited access to justice [by the poor],"[1]
the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) proposed that all practicing lawyers
be required to render free legal aid services, and submitted a draft rule
entitled "Rule of Mandatory Legal Aid Service for Practicing Lawyer.

7. OCA CIRCULAR NO. 34-2015

Application of Republic Act Nos. 6033, 6034, 6035, and 6036

The Philippine Bar Association, through its President Atty. Beda G.

Fajardo, has invited the attention of the Court regarding the significance of
the so-called Laurel Laws, namely: Republic Act No. 6033 (An Act requiring
courts to give preference to criminal cases where the party or parties involve
indigents), Republic Act No. 6034 (An Act providing transportation and other
allowances for indigent litigants), Republic Act No. 6035 (An Act requiring
stenographers to give free transcript of notes to indigents and low income
litigants and providing a penalty for the violation thereof), and Republic Act
No. 6036 (An Act providing that bail shall not, with certain exceptions, be
required in cases of violations of municipal or city ordinances and in criminal
offenses when the prescribed penalty for such offenses is not higher than
arresto mayor and/or a fine of two thousand pesos or both). Republic Act
Nos. 6033, 6034, 6035, and 6036 are herein incorporated and appended as
Annexes “A,” “B,” “C,” and “D,” respectively.

8.