Authority, both constitutional and legal,
given to the courts and its judges (1) to
preside over and render judgment on court-
worthy cases; (2) to enforce or void statutes
and laws when scope or constitutionality are
questioned (3) to interpret statutes and laws
when disputes arise.
An administrative body for a small
geographic area, such as a city, town,
county, or state. A local government will
typically only have control over their specific
geographical region, and cannot pass or
enforce laws that will affect a wider area.
Local governments can elect officials, enact
taxes, and do many other things that a
national government would do, just on a
smaller scale.
A supreme court is the highest court within
the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions.
Other descriptions for such courts
include court of last resort, instance
court, judgment court, apex court,
and highest court of appeal. Broadly
speaking, the decisions of a supreme court
are not subject to further review by any
other court. Supreme courts typically
function primarily as appellate courts,
hearing appeals from decisions of lower trial
courts, or from intermediate-level appellate
courts.[1]
1Levels of local government in the Philippines
o 1.1Autonomous Regions
o 1.2Provinces
o 1.3Cities and municipalities
o 1.4Barangays
Provinces
Outside the lone autonomous region, the
provinces are the highest-level local
government. The provinces are organized into
component cities and municipalities. A
province is governed by the governor and a
legislature known as the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan.
Cities and municipalities
Municipal government in the Philippines is
divided into three independent cities,
component cities, and municipalities
(sometimes referred to as towns). Several
cities across the country are "independent
cities" which means that they are not
governed by a province, even though like Iloilo
City the provincial capitol might be in the city.
Independent city residents do not vote for nor
hold provincial offices. Far more cities
are component cities and are a part of a
province. Municipalities are always a part of a
province except for Pateros which was
separated from Rizal to form Metro Manila.
Cities and municipalities are governed by
mayors and legislatures, which are called
the Sangguniang Panlungsod in cities and
the Sangguniang Bayan in municipalities.
Barangays
Every city and municipality in the Philippines
is divided into barangays, the smallest of the
Local Government Units. Barangays can be
further divided into sitios and puroks but those
divisions do not have leaders elected in formal
elections supervised by the national
government.
A barangay's executive is the Punong
Barangay or barangay captain and its
legislature is the Sangguniang Barangay,
composed of barangay captain, the Barangay
Kagawads (barangay councilors) and the SK
chairman. The SK chairman also leads a
separate assembly for youth,
the Sangguniang Kabataan or SK.
12. A quasi-judicial body is an entity such
as an arbitrator or tribunal board, generally of
a public administrative agency, which has
powers and procedures resembling those of
a court of law or judge, and which is obliged to
objectively determine facts and draw
conclusions from them so as to provide the
basis of an official action. Such actions are
able to remedy a situation or impose legal
penalties, and may affect the legal rights,
duties or privileges of specific parties.[1]
Public officers and employees must,
at all times, be accountable to the
people, serve them with utmost
responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and
efficiency; act with patriotism and
justice, and lead modest lives. The
Constitution, Article XI, Section 1
The Constitution
The Constitution of the Philippines
ordains that judicial power shall be
vested in one Supreme Court and
such lower courts as may be
established by law. [Section 1, Art.
VIII, 1987 Constitution).
The Law
Under Philippine laws [Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980 (Batas
Pambansa Bilang 129) which took
effect on January 18, 1983 and
other laws] the Philippine judicial
system consists of the following
courts: cha nrob lesvi rtua llawlib ra ry
Lower Courts
I. Municipal Trial Courts and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts
Every municipality in the
Philippines has its own Municipal
Trial Court. It is referred to as
such if it covers only one
municipality; otherwise, it is called
Municipal Circuit Trial Court if it
covers two or more
municipalities.
II. Metropolitan Trial Courts
and Municipal Trial Courts in
Cities
Municipal Trial Courts in the towns
and cities in the Metropolitan
Manila area, as distinguished from
the other political subdivisions in
the Philippines, are referred to as
Metropolitan Trial Courts.
In cities outside Metropolitan
Manila, the equivalent of the
Municipal Trial Courts are referred
to as Municipal Trial Courts in
Cities.
III. Regional Trial Courts
Regional Trial Courts were
established among the thirteen
regions in the Philippines consisting
of Regions I to XII and the National
Capital Region (NCR). There are as
many Regional Trial Courts in each
region as the law mandates.
IV. Shari'a Courts
Equivalent to the Regional Trial
Courts in rank are the Shari'a
District Courts which were
established in certain specified
provinces in Mindanao where the
Muslim Code on Personal Laws is
being enforced.
Equivalent to the Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts are the Shari'a Circuit
Courts which were established in
certain municipalities in
Mindanao.
There are five Shari'a District
Courts and fifty one Shari'a Circuit The Highest Court - Supreme
Courts in existence. Court

V. Court of Tax Appeals The Supreme Court is the highest

A special court, the Court of Tax
Appeals, composed of a Presiding
Judge and two Associate Judges, is
vested with the exclusive appellate
jurisdiction over appeals from the
decisions of the Commissioner of
Internal Revenue and the
Commissioner of Customs on
certain specific issues.
Court in the Philippines. There is
only one Supreme Court composed
of one Chief Justice and fourteen
Associate Justices. It is the final
arbiter of any and all judicial
issues. When so deciding, it may
sit en banc or in divisions of three,
five or seven members.

VI. Sandiganbayan

A special court, the

Sandiganbayan, composed of a
Presiding Justice and eight
Associate Justices, has exclusive
jurisdiction over violations of the
Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices
Act [Republic Act No. 3019], the
Unexplained Wealth Act [Republic
Act No. 1379] and other crimes or
felonies committed by public
officials and employees in relation
to their office, including those
employees in government-owned
or controlled corporations.

VII. Court of Appeals

The Court of Appeals, composed of

one Presiding Justice and sixty
eight Associate Justices is vested
with jurisdiction over appeals from
the decisions of the Regional Trial
Courts and certain quasi-judicial
agencies, boards or
commissions.