ADDENDUM TO CIVIL LITIGATION LECTURE

Jurisdiction of the first level courts – Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs), Municipal
Circuit Trial Courts (MCTCs), Metropolitan
Trial Courts (MeTCs), and Municipal Trial
Court in Cities (MTCCs)

Republic Act No. 11576 An act further expanding the jurisdiction of

the MeTCs, MTCCs, MTCs, and MCTCs,
amending for the purpose Batas Pambansa
Blg. 129, Otherwise knows as “The Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980”, as amended.

Signed into law on 30 July 2021

Took effect on 21 August 2021

Salient points:

1. Amended Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 or The Judiciary Reorganization Act of

1980 insofar as the jurisdiction of the first level courts (MTCs, MCTCs,
MeTCs, and MTCCs) and the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs);

2. Jurisdiction of the MTCs, MCTCs, MeTCs, and MCTCs:

(a) Civil actions involving title to or possession of real property, or any

interest therein where the assessed value of the property or interest therein
DOES NOT EXCEED FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS
(P400,000.00), exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney’s
fees, litigation expenses and costs.

(b) For money claims, where the amount of the demand DOES NOT
EXCEED TWO MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000.00), exclusive of interest,
damages of whatever kind, attorney’s fees, litigation expenses and costs.

3. Jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Courts

(a) Civil actions involving title to or possession of real property, or any interest
therein (except for forcible entry and unlawful detainer actions), where the
assessed value of the property or interest therein EXCEEDS FOUR
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P400,000.00), exclusive of interest,
damages of whatever kind, attorney’s fees, litigation expenses and costs.

(b) For money claims, where the amount of the demand EXCEEDS TWO
MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000.00), exclusive of interest, damages of
whatever kind, attorney’s fees, litigation expenses and costs.
REVISED RULE OF THUMB ON JURISDICTION:

For REAL ACTIONS, look at the Assessed Value (AV) of the property in
the Tax Declaration. If AV does not exceed P400,000.00, jurisdiction is with first
level courts (MTCs, etc.). No more distinction where the property is located,
whether in Metro Manila or in the provinces. If the AV exceeds P400K, jurisdiction
is with the RTCs.

For MONEY CLAIMS, if amount of claim exclusive of interest, penalties,

attorney’s fees and litigation costs, does not exceed P2 million, jurisdiction is with
first level courts (MTCs, etc.). In excess of P2 million, jurisdiction is with the RTCs.

QUESTION: DOES THIS AMENDMENT AFFECT THE JURISDICTION OF

THE FIRST LEVEL COURTS WITH RESPECT TO SMALL CLAIMS CASES?

ANSWER: NOT YET. FOR THE MEANTIME, THE SUPREME COURT HAS
NOT COME OUT WITH ANY REVISION TO THE RULE OF PROCEDURE
FOR SMALL CLAIMS CASE. SO, THE JURISDICTION OF FIRST LEVEL
COURTS FOR MONEY CLAIMS UNDER THE RULE REMAINS THE SAME,
i.e.,

NOT EXCEEDING P400,000.00 FOR METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS,

FOR MTCs, MCTCs, AND MTCCs, NOT EXCEEDING P300,000.00