Apart from indigent clients, the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) is extending free services to government public accountants facing court cases in the performance of their duties and functions.
PAO and the Philippine Association of Local Government Accountants (PHALGA) recently forged an agreement whereby public accountants can seek consultation, legal aid and representation from PAO in court hearings.’
“Under the agreement, all PHALGA members would automatically be rendered free legal service should they encounter (legal) problems, especially in the courts,” PAO chief Persida Acosta said.
Last week, she spoke before hundreds of PHALGA members during their 16th Geographical Conference for Mindanao, held in Cagayan de Oro City.
The conference had a theme of “Promoting Discipline in Local Governance.”
Acosta said discipline must prevail in helping the country to fully recover from poverty and to improve the living standard of the people.
“Should that happen, we can move forward to the Bagong Pilipinas that our President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is pushing,” she added.
She assured the city and municipal accountants of all local government units of PAO’s readiness to provide legal assistance “wherever you are.”
PHALGA awarded Acosta with a plaque of recognition for her significant contribution in nation-building and unrelenting support to millions of indigent Filipinos seeking legal help.