Republic Act No. 9307

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1

Section 14

, paragraph (i) of Batas Pambansa Bldg. 129, as amended, otherwise known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act. of 1980, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"(i) Forty-two Regional Trial Judges shall be commissioned for the Eight Judicial Region. There shall be:

"Six branches with seats thereat for the Province of Eastern Samar, with seats at Borongan, Guiuan; Dolores, Oras and Balangiga;

"Seventeen branches with seats thereat for the Province of Leyte, the Sub-province of Biliran and cities of Ormoc and Tacloban, with seats at Tacloban City, Abuyog, Calubian, Ormoc City, Carigara, Baybay, Burauen, Naval, Palompon, Hilongos and Caibiran;

"Six branches with seats thereat for the Province of Northern Samar, with seats at Catarman, Laoang, Allen and Gamay;

"Four branches with seats thereat for the Province of Southern Leyte, with seats at Maasin, San Juan and Sogod; and

"Nine branches with seats thereat for the Province of Samar and the City of Calbayog, with seats at Catbalogan, Basey, Calbayog City, Calbiga, Tarangnan and Gandara."

Section 2

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice shall immediately include in its program the operationalization of the additional Regional Trial Court of Balangiga, Eastern Samar, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Section 3

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,

FRANKLIN DRILON President of the Senate	JOSE DE VENECIA JR. Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on July 30, 2002 and June 10, 2004, respectively.

OSCAR G. YABES Secretary of Senate	ROBERTO P. NAZARENO Secretary General House of Represenatives

Approved: August 2, 2004

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO President of the Philippines