R. A.

11575
Republic Act (RA) 11576, which expanded the jurisdiction of the first-level trial courts, namely
the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (collectively referred to as MTC).
RA 11576 amends the 40-year-old law, Batas Pambansa (BP) 129, or the Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980, by adjusting the threshold values for civil cases under the
jurisdiction of the MTC.
With the passage of RA 11576, the SC affirmed that “the jurisdictional amounts of the trial
courts have now been adjusted to levels which are more suitable to the current economic
conditions and property valuation in the country.”
1) Actions involving title to, or possession of real property, or any interest therein
The newly-signed law increased the jurisdictional amount cognizable by the RTC in all
civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest
therein from the previous amount of P20,000 (or P50,000 in Metro Manila) to P400,000.
Note, however, that the law retains the original jurisdiction over cases for forcible entry
into and unlawful detainer of lands and buildings with the MTC.
2) Admiralty and maritime
RA 11576 also increased the jurisdictional amount cognizable by the RTC in all actions
in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction to P2,000,000 from the previous amount of
P300,000 (P400,000 in Metro Manila).
3) Probate matters, testate and intestate
With respect to all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, the law also increased
the jurisdictional amount cognizable by the RTC to P2,000,000, from the previous
amount of P300,000 (P400,000 in Metro Manila).
4) Other civil cases
Finally, RA 11576 increased the jurisdictional amount cognizable by the RTC in all other
cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney’s
fees, litigation expenses and costs or the value of the property in controversy to
P2,000,000 from the previous amount of P100,000.
SC’s authority to adjust the jurisdictional amounts
The new law also delegates to SC the authority to adjust the jurisdictional amount for first- and
second-level courts to: (1) reflect the extraordinary supervening inflation and deflation of
currency; (2) reflect change in the land valuation; or (3) maintain the proportion of caseload
between first- and second-level courts.
The law, however, provides that the delegated authority to the SC is without prejudice on the
part of Congress to adjust the amounts when the circumstances so warrant.
RA 11576, which was signed last 30 July and took effect last 21 August 2021, is prospective in
nature and shall only apply to all civil cases filed in the first- and second-level courts from the
date of effectivity thereof.
The law aims to not only declog the dockets of second-level courts but also to expedite the
adjudication of pending and incoming cases, which in turn would lead to a better administration
of justice.