ESTABLISHING A JUDICIARY DEVELOPMENT FUND AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE

WHEREAS, the economic conditions of the members and
personnel of the Judiciary must be periodically reviewed and upgraded in order
to preserve and enhance the independence of the Judiciary at all times and
safeguard the integrity of its members;

WHEREAS, the Judiciary, in the discharge of its functions
and duties, can generate its own funds and resources to help augment its
budgetary requirements and ensure the uplift of its members and personnel;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the
Constitution, do hereby decree:

SECTION 1. There is hereby established a Judiciary
Development Fund, hereinafter referred to as the Fund, for the benefit of the
members and personnel of the Judiciary to help ensure and guarantee the
independence of the Judiciary as mandated by the Constitution and public policy
and required by the impartial administration of justice. The Fund shall be
derived from, among others, the increase in the legal fees prescribed in the
amendments to Rule 141 of the Rules of Court to be promulgated by the Supreme
Court of the Philippines. The Fund shall be used to augment the allowances of
the members and personnel of the Judiciary and to finance the acquisition,
maintenance and repair of office equipment and facilities; Provided,
That at least eighty percent (80%) of the Fund shall be used for cost of living
allowances, and not more than twenty percent (20%) of the said Fund shall be
used for office equipment and facilities of the Courts located where the legal
fees are collected; Provide, further, That said allowances of the members and
personnel of the Judiciary shall be distributed in proportion of their basic
salaries; and, Provided, finally, That bigger allowances may be granted
to those receiving a basic salary of less than P1,000.00 a month.

SEC. 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall
administer and allocate the Fund and shall have the sole exclusive power and
duty to approve the authorize disbursements and expenditures of the Fund in
accordance with the guidelines set in this Decree and its implementing rules and
regulations.

SEC. 3. The amounts accruing to the Fund shall be deposited
by the Chief Justice of his duly authorized representative in an authorized
government depository bank or private bank owned or controlled by the
Government, and the income or interest earned shall likewise form part of the
Fund. The Commission on Audit through the Auditor of the Supreme Court or his
duly authorized representative shall quarterly audit the receipts, revenues,
uses, disbursements and expenditures of the Fund, and shall submit the
appropriate report in writing to the Chairman of the Commission on Audit and to
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, copy furnished the Presiding Appellate
Justice of the Intermediate Appellate Court and all Executive Judges.

SEC. 4. Nothing herein shall be construed to affect or
diminish the duty of local government units to provide office spaces, equipment
and facilities to the courts within their respective territorial jurisdiction as
required under existing laws. Moreover, there shall be no reduction of the
compensation, allowances, benefits and privileges enjoyed by the members and
personnel of the Judiciary on the date of the effectivity of this Decree.

SEC. 5. The Supreme Court shall promulgate the rules and
regulations to implement this Decree. ‘

SEC. 6. All laws, decrees, executive or administrative
orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with this Decree
are hereby modified, amended or repealed.

SEC. 7. This Decree shall take effect upon the promulgation
of the revised schedule of legal fees prescribed in Rule 141 of the Rules of
Court.

Done in the City of Manila, this 18th day of July in the year of of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-four.