REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9680 - AN ACT CREATING TWO ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE CITY OF BALANGA AND THREE ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF MARIVELES AND DINALUPIHAN, PROVINCE OF BATAAN, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (C) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG ISANG DAAN AT DALAWAMPU'T SIYAM, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980", AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7154 AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 14, paragraph (c) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129. otherwise known as "The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980", as amended by Republic Act No. 7154, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 14. Regional Trial Courts. -

"x x x

"(c) Ninety-four Regional Trial Judges shall be commissioned for the Third Judicial Region. There shall be:

"Ten branches with seats thereat for the Province of Bataan, with seats at Balanga, Mariveles and Dinalupihan;

"x x x."

SEC. 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice, shall immediately include in the Court's program the operationalization of five (5) additional Regional Trial Court branches in the City of Balanga and the municipalities of Mariveles and Dinalupihan, Province of Bataan, the funding of which shall be included in the annual general Appropriations Act.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,

(Sgd.) JUAN PONCE ENRILE

(Sgd.) PROSPERO C. NOGRALES

President of Senate

Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on May 20, 2009 and May 18, 2009, respectively.

(Sgd.) EMMA LIRIO-REYES

(Sgd.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP

Secretary of Senate

Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: JUL 29 2009

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL - ARROYO President of the Philippines