agrarian reform, rural development, local governance, Philippines

KAISAHAN aims to develop and pursue a community-based legal resource center focusing on access to basic human rights and democratizing access to power in local governance.

paralegals

It also promotes and institutionalizes a paralegal formation program for farmers, farm workers and other marginalized sectors through the Area Specific Development Program (ASDP) of Kaisahan.

Legal and Paralegal Program

Moreover, it provides legal assistance and consultancy services for small farmers, farm workers and marginalized rural poor through their organizations and in partnership with support agencies involved in agrarian problems.

Parelagals leading the protest for CARP extension

It conducts networking activities and linkaging with alternative law groups for concerted advocacy efforts at the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.

Paralegals presenting their action plan

Paralegal Formation
Kaisahan through its paralegal formation program undertakes to develop paralegals who are knowledgeable on agrarian reform laws, local governance and certain laws that affect them. Paralegals are given the appropriate skills training and capacity building seminars which include both substantive and procedural laws to address legal issues involving resource tenure improvement and access to justice (RTI/AJ) issues in their localities. LAU also conducts monitoring activities to assess the competencies of paralegals in analyzing LTI issues and in identifying appropriate strategies.

Networking
Networking/linkaging with alternative law groups remains a major concern for effective and concerted advocacy efforts at the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Kaisahan is an active member of the Alternative Law Groups, Inc. (ALG), a coalition of eighteen (18) non-governmental organizations with varied concerns and advocacies operating throughout the Philippines.

Case Handling
Subject to a set of criteria, Kaisahan provides legal assistance and consultancy services for small farmers, farm workers and marginalized rural poor through their organizations and in partnership with support agencies involved in agrarian problems cases. Cases being handled by Kaisahan principally involve land tenure issues, agrarian disputes and agrarian-related criminal and civil cases.

Together with other ALG members, Kaisahan also handles test cases that that are considered precedent-setting and which will provide an opportunity for major policy pronouncements.

Legal Retainer
Kaisahan hired the services of Atty. Marianito Mojica and Atty. Asia Canieso-Sproten as legal retainers in Ormoc and Iloilo respectively to assist LAU its paralegal formation and case handling.

Publications
Former and current staff have contributed to the collection of materials which are seen as effective means to achieve any or all of the following noble purposes: (1) promote K's advocacy agenda; (2) clarify various policies affecting K's advocacies; (3) demystify other people's perception of the law itself.

Kaisahan accepts law students in its internship program through which they are exposed to opportunities for learning, understanding and appreciating alternative or public interest law. Through the program the interns get to know first hand the situation of the farmers and the marginalized rural poor and realize how knowledge of the law could empower and affect them. Law interns perform tasks and participate in activities which harness legal and advocacy skills as well. These include, among others, preparing pleadings, attending dialogues with officials from government agencies, meeting with legislators for the purpose of lobbying, working with paralegals and other partner-organizations, and acting as resource persons during paralegal seminars and training.

Farmer paralegals receving CLOA from a DAR Official in Iloilo

The interns are under the supervision of Kaisahan lawyers. Kaisahan has accepted law interns from Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, Xavier University, and Liceo de Cagayan.

Interns in action