MSU Law Tawi-Tawi Convenes Workshop to Establish Community-Based Legal Aid Clinic in the Bangsamoro

MSU Law Tawi-Tawi Convenes Workshop to Establish Community-Based Legal Aid Clinic in the Bangsamoro

In a landmark move toward strengthening access to justice in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, the Mindanao State University (MSU) College of Law Tawi-Tawi Extension successfully held a three-day Legal Aid Clinic Setup Workshop from May 5 to 9, 2025, at the MSU-TCTO Dormitel Conference Room.

The workshop, made possible through the generous support of the Bangsamoro Attorney General’s Office (BAGO-BARMM), Suporta sa Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA), and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), aims to establish a functional, sustainable, and community-responsive legal aid clinic that will serve Tawi-Tawi and the wider Bangsamoro region.

The event adopted a participatory and consultative design, involving law faculty, student representatives, legal experts, and community stakeholders in developing a legal aid framework responsive to local needs and compliant with the Supreme Court's Law Student Practice Rule.

Atty. Joanah C. Alinog-Disocor, Assistant Dean for Clinical Legal Education, delivered a key lecture on the role and structure of legal aid clinics, emphasizing their significance in advancing social justice and community-based legal service delivery.

Atty. Gilbert V. Sembrano, LL.M., Team Leader of the Justice and Society Project under SUBATRA, shared his personal experiences as a former Director of the Ateneo Legal Services Center, highlighting best practices and lessons learned from managing a university-based legal clinic.

MSU College of Law Dean Atty. Norhabib Bin Suod S. Barodi, LL.M., and Assistant Dean Atty. Norsary S. Mamad actively contributed insights throughout the workshop, ensuring the proposed clinic model meets the evolving legal needs of the Bangsamoro community while adhering to academic and ethical standards of clinical legal education.

Assistant Dean Atty. Datu Esma Mikee P. Maruhom also emphasized the transformative value of the initiative, stating:

“This legal aid clinic will not only empower our law students through experiential learning, but more importantly, it will bring legal services closer to our people in Tawi-Tawi. It reflects our commitment to justice that is not only taught in classrooms but lived in communities.”

Facilitators Assoc. Prof. Grant Warren D. Lu of MSU Maguindanao and Ms. Ally Gutierrez, Co-founder of REPAMANA, led the workshop sessions, which focused on stakeholder mapping, identification of legal and social issues, and resource planning essential to the clinic’s success.

The MSU College of Law Tawi-Tawi also extends its deepest gratitude to Prof. Dr. Mary Joyce Z. Guinto-Sali, Chancellor of MSU-TCTO, and Atty. Basari D. Mapupuno, President of the MSU System, for their unwavering support and commitment to advancing legal education and services in Tawi-Tawi.

This initiative marks a critical step in the University’s mission to train practice-ready, community-oriented lawyers and enhance legal empowerment across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, especially in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

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