Government offices are available nationwide.
They are the go-to source for legal advice for child support, criminal issues or labor concerns.
Find their contact information and other available data below.

1. Public Attorney’s Office

Area Served: Nationwide

Contact Information:
Address: Located in your local hall of justice which is usually in the municipal or town hall.
Website: http://www.pao.gov.ph/

Focus: The PAO only serves those whose income is less than the amount identified below.

• Php 14,000 for Metro Manila
• Php 13,000 for other cities
• Php 12,000 elsewhere

They cannot not serve in cases where:

• When there is a conflict of interest
• Have higher income than that which is indicated above
• Defend in a bouncing checks case
• Prosecute criminal cases
• Adoption cases except where the adopter is the biological parent or step-parent of the adoptee

Requirements:

• An Affidavit of Indigency
• Latest Income Tax Return or pay slip or other proofs of income
• Certificate of Indigency from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, its local District Office, or the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office having jurisdiction over the residence of the applicant

Notes:

The PAO is your go-to source for free legal aid and should be considered especially if your need is urgent and income is tight.

The difference between a PAO lawyer and a private lawyer is in their workload and in the continuity of their service.

A PAO lawyer handled 458 cases on average in 2017 while a private lawyer might only handle 40. This means less time per client.

In addition, there is frequent turnover for cases meaning that your PAO lawyer will likely change over the course of the case. An average case can take years so you might work with many lawyers over time.

2. Department of Labor and Employment

Area Served: Nationwide

Contact Information:

Address:
Main Office: Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Building, Muralla Wing cor. General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, 1002 Philippines.
Local DOLE offices can be found all over the country but you’d have to locate what the nearest one is.
Telephone: 1349 from landlines
Email: https://www.dole.gov.ph/queries/submit

Focus: Only labor related complaints

Requirements: Please check with your local DOLE

3. Department of Social Welfare and Development

Area Served: Nationwide

Contact Information:

Address:
Main Office: 389 San Rafael Street corner Legarda Street, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
Local DSWD offices can be found all over the country but you’d have to locate what the nearest one is.
Telephone: +63-2-733-0010 to 18
Email: foncr@dswd.gov.ph

Focus: Only social work complaints such as women and children issues

Requirements: Please check with your local DSWD

Special interest legal aid groups give assistance to a particular cause.
They may serve human rights goals or cater to marginalized sectors of society.
Although they may take cases that are nationwide, they are only found in a few areas.

4. Saligan

Area Served: Naga and Davao

Contact Information:

Address: G/F Hoffner Building, Social Development Complex, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Philippines
Telephone: (632) 426-6001 loc. 4858-4860
Email: aligan@saligan.org

Focus: Handles women, workers, the urban poor, indigenous, moro and peace

Requirements: Call or go in person to see what is possible.

5. Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG)

FLAG Logo
Area Served: Nationwide

Contact Information:

Address: Room 116 Alumni Center Annex, Magsaysay Avenue, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City
Telephone: +63 2 920 5132
Website: http://flagfaqs.blogspot.com/
Email: flag@flag.com.ph

Focus: Human rights

Requirements: Call or go in person to see what is possible.

Universities with legal programs have free aid clinics.
Run by senior law students under the supervision of a practicing lawyer, they often accept cases for indigents.
I’ve listed several but check universities near you as well

6. Ateneo Legal Services Center (ALSC)

Area Served: Makati and Mandaluyong

Contact Information:

Address: 20 Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center 1200 Makati City, Philippines
Telephone: +63 (02) 899-7691 ext. 2113
Website: http://www.ateneo.edu/aps/law/ateneo-law-center/ateneo-legal-services-center
Email: alsc.law@ ateneo.edu

Focus: ALSC only serves indigent clients with:

• Php 14,000 for Metro Manila
• Php 13,000 for other cities
• Php 12,000 elsewhere

They cannot not serve in cases where for:

• Sum of money
• Annulment
• Bouncing checks case
• Forfeiture or
• Other cases that are not consistent with the indigency claim.

Requirements:

• An affidavit of indigency
• Latest Income Tax Return or pay slip or other proofs of income
• Certificate of Indigency from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, its local District Office, or the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office having jurisdiction over the residence of the applicant
• Latest Income Tax Return or pay slip or other proofs of income

Notes:

Expect to work with several different student lawyers over the course of your case. It is important to know the details of your case well so as to be able to introduce each lawyer to the facts over time. Although there is documentation, it is important to fill in data gaps that may exist.

7. University of the Philippines Office of Legal Aid

Area: Metro Manila

Contact Information:

Address: Office of Legal Aid, UP College of Law, Malcolm Hall, Diliman Quezon City
Telephone: +63-2-920-5514 loc. 106
Website: http://law.upd.edu.ph/office-of-legal-aid/

Focus: UP only serves indigent clients but you would have to find out how they determine what an indigent is.

Requirements: UP needs to be contacted directly to determine what the requirements are.

Notes: As with many student programs listed here, expect that your case will be managed by several students over the course of the case.

8. San Beda Legal Aid Bureau, Manila

Area: Around Manila

Contact Information:

Main
San Beda College Mendiola, Manila
Phone: (02) 735-6011 local 6120
Schedule: M-W-F 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Quiapo Branch
3rd Floor Legal Council Office
Pop Benedict VI Building
Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene
910 Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila
Schedule: T-TH 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Pandacan Branch
Sinag sa Sais Center
Pandacan, Manila
Schedule: F 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Focus: Serves those of limited means

Requirements: There is an application process but you would need to call or go in person to find out these details.

9. San Beda Legal Aid Bureau, Alabang

Area: Around Alabang

Contact Information:

Address: 8 Don Manolo Blvd., Alabang Hills Village, Alabang, 1770 Muntinlupa City, P.O. Box 402 Ayala Alabang
Phone Number: +63-2-236-7222 trunkline
Website: http://www.sanbeda-alabang.edu.ph/bede/index.php/other-links/archives-ay-2012-2013/361-sol-legal-aid-bureau

Focus: Serves those of limited means

Requirements: There is an application process but you would need to call or go in person to find out these details.

10. University of St. Thomas, RJ Roberto Concepcion Legal Aid

Area: Around Manila

Contact Information:

Address: Espana Blvd., Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines 1008
Phone Number: +63(02) 731-4027 / +63(02) 406-1611 (Local 8225)
Website: http://www.ustcivillaw.com/cj-roberto-concepcion-legal-aid

Focus: Extends free legal assistance assistance to indigents and those belonging to the marginalized sector

Requirements: There is an application process but you would need to call or go in person to find out these details.

11. Sebastinian Office of Legal Aid

Area: Around Manila

Contact Information:

Address: Recto Ave, Quiapo, Manila, 1001 Metro Manila
Telephone: +63-2-734-8931 Local: 313 & 173
Website: http://law.sscrmnl.edu.ph/contact-information/

Focus: You would have to call or go in person to know.

Requirements: You would have to call or go in person to know.

12. Xavier University Center for Legal Assistance

Area Served: Cagayan De Oro

Contact Information:

Address: Xavier Unviersity – Ateneo de Cagayan, Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City, 9000, Philippines
Telephone: (088) 853-9800 Local 9176 / 9177 / 9180 / 9181
Email: xucla@xu.edu.ph
Website: http://www.xu.edu.ph/xavier-university-center-for-legal-assistance

Focus: Specifically for the poor and marginalized.

Requirements: Call to determine what documents you need to prepare in advance