PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR THE

STUDENTS LEGAL AID AND ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE (SLAAC)

Aldrick Daven M. Mendoza Juris Doctor

College of Law University of the Philippines Diliman

PART 11: PRELIMINARY MATTERS Introduction: The Students Legal Aid and Assistance Committee (SLAAC) is a Special Standing Committee of the University Student Council aimed at advocating the rights and welfare of the student body with a particular thrust in pursuing such through the legal perspective. The Committee aims to address socio-political issues and policies within the University, as well as those outside the University but still directly affecting the concerns of the student body, through the use of the legal system. The Committee most especially aims to advocate for the protection of human rights and provide adequate legal assistance to further pursue advocacy work necessary to promote social justice. Objectives:

1. To advocate for students rights and address their concerns through the use of the legal perspective;

2. To extend needed legal knowledge and assistance to the USC, the LCC, and members of the universitys college councils;

3. To pursue activities that would engage the student body in debate and discourse regarding relevant and prevalent socio-political and legal issues in the country;

4. To enhance the coordination of the UP College of Law with the rest of the student body in the University, and if possible, to other UP units;

5. To provide a Legal Help Desk that would facilitate necessary legal/paralegal aid and services to the rest of the University;

6. To pursue connections with Governmental and Non-governmental instrumentalities in the country in order to establish partnerships in furtherance of advocacy work within the bounds of the legal framework; and

7. Any such other activities directly connected to the functions and projects of the Committee, as well as activities necessarily implied therefrom.

1 Adopted from the SLAAC project proposal of College of Law Representatives Tina Reyes (AY 12-13) and

JP Rotap (AY 13-14), and outgoing College of Law Representative Keila Garcia (AY 14-15)

Structure:

A. The SLAAC Chairperson shall: 1. Preside meetings and oversee the coordination and implementation of the

projects of the committee. 2. Submit and present during regular meetings the Committee report including

performance reports of each committee member. 3. Perform such other functions germane to the function, purpose and objective of

the committee.

B. The SLAAC Secretary shall: 1. Keep the minutes and records of the committee; 2. Maintain all documents and important correspondences of the committee with

the third parties; 3. Assist the SLAAC Chairperson in performing tasks which the latter may validly

delegate to it. 4. Perform such other functions as may be assigned or delegated by the SLAAC

Chairperson.

C. The SLAAC Deputy Secretary for Internal Affairs & Logistics shall: 1. Be in charge of contacting the participants for the scheduled projects (i.e.

communicate with local councils to establish partnerships or local legal desks); 2. Ensure that the venue, equipment and necessary materials are available for each

activity or seminar; 3. Perform such other functions as may be assigned or delegated by the SLAAC

Chairperson.

D. The SLAAC Legal Seminar Head shall: 1. Coordinate with SLAAC Chairperson on the planning and progress of legal

seminars.

SLAAC Chairperson

Deputy Secretary for Internal Affairs &

Logistics

Volunteer

Legal Seminar Head

Volunteer

Deputy Secretary for External Affairs &

Publications

Volunteer

SLAAC Secretary

2. Consolidate the creation of materials necessary for the legal/training seminars to be conducted;

3. Perform such other functions as may be assigned or delegated by the SLAAC Chairperson.

E. The SLAAC Deputy Secretary for External Affairs & Publications shall:

1. Be in charge of coordinating with agencies, private entities, NGOs, LGUs, organizations and etc. that could take part in the proposed projects of the committee, or those who would like to propose other projects;

2. Perform such other functions as may be assigned or delegated by the SLAAC Chairperson.

PART 2: PROJECT PROPOSAL A. Legal Training for Student Leaders2

To provide Paralegal trainings to members of the USC, SLAAC officers and volunteers, and other students who may be interested.

o Target Date: August 2015 and January 2015

To partner with the USC, the LCC, the OSR, College Councils, and student organizations within the university in facilitating forums and symposiums regarding relevant socio-political issues affecting the country.

o Target Date: Year-Round Project, Depending on Necessity

To partner with the UP LSG, and the College of Law in providing symposiums to review and assess recent Supreme Court decisions (such as Belgica v. Executive Secretary or the PDAF case), and relevant Statutes (such as Cybercrime Law, RH Law, etc.), in order to foster the spirit of open and progressive discourse

o Target Date: Year-Round Project, Depending on Necessity B. 2016 National Election Education and Registration

To provide students the opportunity to register in the upcoming 2016 National Elections.

To provide students the avenue to voice out their concerns, inquiries and suggestions to the political parties and candidates via the conduct of a series of discussions, debates and other forms as the students may prefer.

o Target Date: August 2015 February 2016

C. CLAUSE Year 43: A Taste of Malcolm Experience (College of Law Assistance for Undergraduates Empowerment)

In coordination with the Bar Operations Commission, the LSG Externals Vice-President, and the Association of College of Law Organizations, it is the aim of this project to open to undergraduate students a chance to get a taste of what it feels like to be a law student by providing opportunities to volunteer for the BOC during one of the 4 weeks of the Bar, through an incentive system that would also provide these law student hopefuls several LAE review sessions, LAE review materials, and other such similar services.

2 Project carried over (with slight modifications) from the SLAAC project proposal of College of Law

Representatives Tina Reyes (AY 12-13) and JP Rotap (AY 13-14), and outgoing College of Law

Representative Keila Garcia (AY 14-15)

3 Project carried over (with slight modifications) from the SLAAC project proposal of College of Law

Representatives Tina Reyes (AY 12-13) and JP Rotap (AY 13-14), and outgoing College of Law

Representative Keila Garcia (AY 14-15)

o Target Date for the LAE review sessions: October 2015 December 2015

o Target Date for BarOps: November 2015

D. Magna Carta for Students Rights4

This project aims to create a legal instrument that would consolidate all the basic students rights in order to provide much needed protection from

various forms of abuses within the university

This shall be in partnership with the LCC and all college councils, the STRAW Committee, as well as student organizations and formations within the University

This shall be forwarded and lobbied to the Board of Regents, through coordination with the Office of the Student Regent

o Target Dates: Currently dependent on the Magna Carta Drafting Team

E. Community Legal Aid

To provide basic and general legal aid and education to different communities.

To be implemented with the help the LSG Externals Vice-President, and the Association of College of Law Organizations and several volunteer UP College of Law students and alumna.

o Target Dates: December 2015 and April 2015

4 Project carried over (with slight modifications) from the SLAAC project proposal of College of Law

Representatives Tina Reyes (AY 12-13) and JP Rotap (AY 13-14), and outgoing College of Law

Representative Keila Garcia (AY 14-15)