Davao city: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has enacted Republic Act (RA) 12307, establishing 11 new branches of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) in Davao City, part of the Eleventh Judicial Region. This legislative move aims to enhance judicial accessibility and efficiency within the region.

According to Philippines News Agency, the legislation was signed by President Marcos on September 18 and directs the Supreme Court to allocate branch numbers to these newly formed courts. The law further tasks the Chief Justice, in collaboration with the Department of Justice (DOJ), with promptly integrating the new court branches into the Supreme Court's operational program.

The Supreme Court is also charged with formulating the necessary rules and regulations to ensure the act's effective implementation. This includes potential adjustments to the seating arrangements and territorial jurisdictions of existing branches.

Funding for the personnel, operations, and infrastructure of these new court branches will be sourced from the annual General Appropriations Act as stipulated in RA 12307. Additionally, the act calls for the creation of extra positions within the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) and the prosecution service, in line with existing laws like the Prosecution Service Act of 2010 and RA 9406.

RA 12307 will come into effect 15 days following its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation, marking a significant development in the judicial landscape of Davao City.