Need legal assistance? UP College of Law is here to help

By: 5 years ago

After coming up with Yani, an AI bot that helps you with your coronavirus concerns, the University of the Philippines has produced yet another project to assist citizens in the midst of the ECQ. For those stuck in some legal trouble—or if you’re genuinely just curious about some things—UP College of Law is now online for legal assistance.

Starting Apr. 20, the university’s law department will be accessible for concerns on all things law-related, especially pertaining to COVID-19 and ECQ-related issues.

According to their Facebook post, the project #UPLawHelps will bring together the department’s community—which includes administration, faculty, the UP Law Center, students and alumni—to provide the following: “(a) legal education, counseling, and advise, and (b) if necessary in exceptional cases, legal representation to individuals or sectors affected by the application and enforcement of RA 11469, RA 11332 or rules and regulations pertaining to the Enhanced (in specific areas, ‘Extreme Enhanced’) Community Quarantine.”

UP Law Helps will cover the following areas:

The exercise of civil and political rights;

The conduct of private and public entities specific to the rights of COVID-19 patients;

The interruption of businesses and other day-to-day operations, in relation to payments and like obligations; and,

Conflicting rights and obligations arising from scenarios particular to COVID-19 or the ECQ.

The department formed teams to function specifically for these areas, although more could be formed if needed. These include Civil and Political Rights (CPRT), COVID-19 Patients and Family Rights (PFRT), Conduct of Business (CBT), and Rights under Quarantine (RQT).

They can be reached online through their website, but you can also send them an email at uplawhelps@up.edu.ph. Requests will be attended between 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m, Monday through Friday.

Art by Zaila Mae Urmeneta