DR. JOVITO R. SALONGA CENTER FOR LAW AND DEVELOPMENT

The Salonga Center for Law and Development is an adjunct of the Silliman University College of Law. It was launched through the beneficence of nationalist, statesman, and legal luminary Dr. Jovito R. Salonga himself on August 26, 2006.

Guided by the teachings of our Lord and Savior, the Salonga Center, same as that with the College, approaches law with a conscience: The kind that brings good news to the poor, liberates the captives, gives hope to the blind, and sets at liberty those who are oppressed. To fulfill these objectives, the Salonga Center utilizes the pillars of Legal Advocacy, Research, and Legal Education and Training. Here’s a glimpse of what we do at the Salonga Center:

LEGAL ADVOCACY

The law is a powerful tool to bring about change. The Salonga Center believes in engaging the community and policy makers—national and local—on a healthy discourse to map out and effectuate sustainable policies. One of the three areas of the Salonga Center is the Environmental Law Desk that capitalizes on the University’s and the College’s strength in environmental advocacy that lead to the creation of the Legal Environmental Advocacy Program (LEAP).

PAPER ON GUIMARAS OIL SPILL. The Salonga Center prepared a paper on the legal implications of the Guimaras oil spill. The paper was submitted to Dr. Angel Alcala, Director for Research of Silliman University, who then presented the paper to PETRON.

DAI-ECOGOVERNANCE PROJECT. On October 23, 2006, the Development Alternatives, Inc.-Ecogovenance project team met the Salonga Center interdisciplinary team to discuss the Independent Quantity Contract (IQC) that formalized the engagement of the Salonga Center as a preferred subcontractor of the project.

COVENANT ON FREE ELECTIONS. In 2013, the Salonga Center spearheaded the “Inter-Agency Covenant on the Conduct of Free, Credible, Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections in Negros Oriental” signed at the Justice Venancio D. Aldecoa Jr. Moot Court.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION. In 2011, the Salonga Center initiated the initial stride on solving the sanitary landfill problems of Dumaguete City and its neighboring towns by engaging stake holders on a roundtable discussion.

RESEARCH

Research is integral to critically analyze and critique Philippine and international law. Opinions and analyses are incorporated in publications which will be made available to government offices, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations.

THE SILLIMAN LAW JOURNAL. The Salonga Center contributes to the College’s undertaking by mapping out issues and inquiries for researches done by students, members of faculty, and legal experts. As Atty. Marcelino Maxino, adviser, puts it: “The Silliman Law Journal is published to serve the needs of the legal community for serious, scholarly examination of issues that challenge the study of law. Some of these issues are current, but some are timeless.”

THE PURPLE MAP. Launched in 2010, the Purple Map is the official law magazine of the Salonga Center. It publishes students’ and faculties’ commentaries on more pressing legal issues of the day.

The publication is made possible through the generosity of Dr. Rolando Del Carmen.

RESEARCH AREAS OF INTERESTS:

1.) The creation of special courts to handle violations of traffic rules, ordinances and other small claims and compare this concept with the concept of People’s Courts in the United States.

2.) A study to “Shepardize” Philippine law and jurisprudence considering the magnitude of the undertaking, this remains a dream project. The Shepard system is a method for tracking the discussion of principles of law in court opinions.

LEGAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

For students like myself, this is one of the most exciting component because this is where really go out there.

As proponent of Transformative Law, the Salonga Center aims to bring the law beyond the courts and the classroom and to the barrios, barangays, local government units, policy makers, and legislators. The Salonga Center utilizes various forms and media to impart legal information—lectures, seminars, radio, newspaper, television, and the Internet.

TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCERS. Just very recently, the Salonga Center conducted training seminars for members of the armed forces on International Humanitarian Law and for the members of the police on arrest and search and seizure.

LAW LECTURES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. Last semester, students enrolled in the Street Law course handled by Atty. Aguilan went around the high schools of Dumaguete to conduct lectures on Anti-Bullying Law, basic Family Law, and plagiarism among others.

BATA, BATA, BATAS B’AY ALAM MO NA? is an interactive lecture designed to engage elementary students to make them aware of their rights.

NEWSPAPER, RADIO, and INTERNET INFORMATION CAMPAIGN. Through our media partners, the Salonga Center publishes easy-to-understand articles on more relevant laws.

ADMINISTRATION

The Salonga Center is administratively under a body composed of the Dean and Faculty of Law, with the Dean acting as the convenor. The Director of the Salonga Center is an ex-officio member of said body. This body is directly under the Office of the President of the university. Currently, it is headed by Dean Mikhail Lee Maxino assisted by Atty. Karla Aguilan. Dean Maxino also heads the Environmental Law Desk which is one of the areas of the Salonga Center alongside the Social Justice and Human Rights Desk and the Labor Law Desk coordinated by law faculty members.

And perhaps, the greatest strength of the Salonga Center lies on the spirit of service among Salonga volunteers, many of whom if not all, are students of the Silliman University College of Law.

We are very excited with what this partnership will bring. God bless us all.