ADR on Wheels: Bringing Access to public

Iloilo City-  Decades ago, or perhaps more, land distribution and conflict were one of the major issues in the Philippines. It involves one person claiming another land title to another which results in a long process of legal cases, it involves stranger to stranger but worst it involves family members.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) thus, adopted Republic Act No. 9285 or the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Act of 2004, Executive Order No. 523 thru the Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2016-30. This is to promote the ADR as a tool or an alternative procedure for the resolution of appropriate land cases.

Thus, Region 6 headed by Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran tasked the ADR Focal Person and at the same time the Chief, Legal Division Atty. Noel C. Empleo to prioritize ADR in resolving land conflicts.

On April 24-26, 2024, in line with the celebration of the ADR Day, Atty. Empleo together with Focal ADR Officer (FADRO) Sonia L. Gimotea conducted a 3-day ADR Activities: Bringing Access to Environmental Justice to the People through Alternative Dispute Resolution at MO2 Westown Hotel, Iloilo City.

One of the highlights of the activity is the ADRM Wheels on April 25, 2024. This is the actual handling of ADR cases by the ADR Officers from the different field offices. A total of eleven (11) cases out of thirteen (13) were settled for just a day.

“I personally believe in the power of ADR, resolving conflict without judicial proceedings. I also commend our ADR Officers for a job well done, we have claimed the top spot for Best ADR Officer and Best Regional Pool of ADROs Nationwide because of your dedication and perseverance to every case to face,” RED Duran said.

In ADR, a neutral third party assists in the resolution of issues, through arbitration, conciliation, mediation, mini trial, neutral evaluation or a combination thereof. It involves means and methods sanctioned by law and agreed to by the parties for resolving the conflict without court intervention. /DENR 6