INTEGRATED BAR of the PHILIPPINES HISTORY

Brief History of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (the IBP) is the official organization of all Philippine lawyers whose names appear in the Roll of Attorneys of the S preme !o rt" The IBP came into #eing when the S preme !o rt created on $cto#er %& '()* the !ommission on Bar Integration which was tas+ed not only to ascertain the ad,isa#ility of integration of the Bar& # t e,en more& to ser,e as a common ,ehicle of the !o rt and the Bar in fashioning a #l eprint for integration and p tting the same into act al operation" Rep #lic Act -o" ./()& which #ecame effecti,e Septem#er ')& '()'& confirmed the power of the S preme !o rt to adopt r les of co rt to effect the integration of the Philippine Bar" Then on 0an ary (& '()/& the S preme !o rt& #y a per curiam resol tion& p rs ant to its constit tional mandate& ordained the integration of the Bar in accordance with its R le '/(1A& effecti,e 0an ary '.& '()/" 2ithin the ne3t s cceeding months& the IBP was organized" $n 4e#r ary ')& '()/& local chapters all o,er the co ntry were finally formed and elections for chapter officers were held" Then on 5arch ')& '()/& the first #atch of representati,es to the IBP 6o se of 7elegates composed of '*8 delegates representing the IBP !hapters nationwide con,ened in 5anila and elected its first set of IBP 9o,ernors" Offi ial Organi!ation of La"yers It is an official organization 1 and #y official we mean that it is esta#lished #y the State" Rep #lic Act -o" ./() confirmed the power of the S preme !o rt to adopt r les of co rt to effect the integration of the Philippine Bar" Presidential 7ecree" -o" ':' was prom lgated on 5ay 8& '()/ constit ting the IBP into a #ody corporate and pro,iding go,ernment assistance thereto for the accomplishment of its p rposes" All Attorneys The IBP is composed of all Philippine attorneys now n m#ering a#o t %*&***" All persons whose names appear in the Roll of Attorneys of the S preme !o rt (ha,ing ; alified for and passed the Bar e3aminations and ta+en their attorney<s oath& nless otherwise dis#arred) are mem#ers of the IBP" If any s ch person does not agree to =oin the organization and reg lations (s ch as payments of ann al mem#ership d es& now fi3ed at P'&***)& he does not #ecome& or he ceases to #e& an IBP mem#er& and at the same time his name is remo,ed from the Roll of Attorneys" The effect of the remo,al is that he ceases to #e an attorney" 6e loses the pri,ilege to practice law in the Philippines" #o$$ission on Bar Integration It fell pon the !ommission on Bar Integration& which the S preme !o rt created on $cto#er %& '()*& not only to ascertain the ad,isa#ility of integration of the Bar # t& e,en more& to ser,e as a common ,ehicle of the !o rt and the Bar in fashioning a #l eprint for integration and p tting the same into act al operation" The !ommission was headed #y S preme !o rt Associate 0 stice (later !hief 0 stice) 4red R iz !astro" The mem#ers were 0ose 0" Roy& !onrado >" Sanchez& Sal,ador >" ?sg erra& !risolito S" Pasc al& Tecla San Andres @iga and 4eliciano 0o,er Aedesma" #%l$ination The integration of the Bar was the c lmination of efforts e3erted #y far1sighted leaders of the profession dating #ac+ to the year '(B:" And it was accomplished not #y ar#itrary or nwanted imposition from a#o,e # t #y the ,ote of the o,erwhelming ma=ority of the legal profession thro gho t the Philippines who rged the S preme !o rt to ordain it" Indeed& it had long #een felt that witho t their official nification the lawyers were #o nd to remain disassociated and

fragmented& #ereft of the force of nity needed to propel the Bar to loftier heights than the ,ol ntary Bar associations which had remained mostly social aggr pations" Se$i&go'ern$ental Some people as+ whether the IBP is a go,ernmental (p #lic) or non1go,ernmental (pri,ate) entity" The answer is that it is an essentially pri,ate (or non1go,ernmental) organization" It is not an agency of the 9o,ernment" 4or one thing& the lawyers& who are its mem#ers& are pri,ate indi,id als" 4or another& the f nding is deri,ed essentially from their mem#ership d es" 2e cannot of co rse deny that the IBP e3ists to perform certain ,ital p #lic f nctions and to assist the 9o,ernment partic larly in the impro,ement of the administration of = stice& the pgrading of the standards of the legal profession& and its proper reg lation" 5oreo,er& financial assistance is e3tended to it #y the 9o,ernment itself" Aawyers are officers of the co rt& and it is this common aspect of their ,aried personalities that pro,ides the IBP with its #ond of nity" P tting it more precisely& therefore& the IBP is a semi1go,ernmental entityC a pri,ate organization endowed with certain go,ernmental attri# tes" (irst Board of Go'ernors $n 5arch ')& '()/& the first IBP 6o se of 7elegates& composed of '*8 delegates representing all the original ): IBP !hapters& con,ened in 5anila and elected nine IBP go,ernorsD 5elanio T" Singson (-orthern A zon)& >icente 7" 5illora (!entral A zon)& Ponciano 5" 5ortera (9reater 5anila)& Ra l I" 9oco (So thern A zon)& Tecla San Andres @iga (Bicolandia)& Pa#lo P" 9arcia (?astern >isayas)& Amado A" ParreEo& 0r" (2estern >isayas)& 5an el 5" 9arcia (?astern 5indanao) and Ailiano B" -eri (2estern 5indanao)" In the ne3t few days& the go,ernors1elect chose retired S preme !o rt 0 stice 0ose B"A" Reyes as IBP President& and 9o,ernor Ailiano B" -eri as IBP ?3ec ti,e >ice President" $n 5arch B%& '()/& these ten top officials of the IBP too+ their oath of office in simple # t solemn ceremonies #efore the S preme !o rt en #anc"