Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. Legal Aid Clinic

10/10/2026

| 𝗥𝗠𝗖-𝗦𝗢𝗟 𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗣 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁
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Atty. Philip John L. Pojas, Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) Director of the Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. (RMC) – School of Law, and Atty. Ismael Catalino A. Maestre Jr., CLEP Supervising Lawyer, joined legal educators, members of the Judiciary, and legal aid advocates from across the country at the Access to Justice Summit: 2nd Philippine Clinical Legal Education Summit, held October 6–8, 2026, at the Baguio Country Club in Baguio City.
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The three-day summit examined how law schools, courts, and partner institutions can work more effectively together to strengthen clinical legal education and make legal assistance more accessible to communities in need.
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Discussions focused on practical approaches to implementing CLEP, addressing gaps in existing practices, clarifying the responsibilities of participating institutions, and identifying measures to improve the delivery of legal aid services.
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The gathering featured messages from Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, and Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh.
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The summit was organized through the collaborative efforts of the Supreme Court's Oversight Committee on the Implementation of Rule 138-A, chaired by Senior Associate Justice Leonen, the Legal Education Board, and the Philippine Association of Law Schools, with support from the European Union's Governance in Justice Programme (EU-GOJUST).
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Under Rule 138-A, or the Revised Law Student Practice Rule, qualified law students may undertake supervised legal work, allowing them to gain practical experience while extending legal assistance to individuals who may otherwise have difficulty accessing legal services.
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For RMC, the discussions bear directly on the work of its Justice Leopoldo Abellera Legal Aid Clinic, where law student practitioners apply their classroom learning through supervised legal consultations, case assistance, court-related activities, and community legal outreach.
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The participation of Atty. Pojas and Atty. Maestre provided an opportunity to engage with developments in clinical legal education at the national level and examine approaches relevant to the School of Law's continuing efforts to strengthen supervised legal practice and community-based legal assistance.

09/10/2026

| Five Law Student Practitioners (LSPs) from Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc.– School of Law (RMC-SOL) joined the Davao del Norte Provincial Legal Office in providing legal assistance during OPLAN K*K: Kaagapay sa Kalinaw ug Kalamboan 2026, held on October 9 at Barangay Maniki, Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
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Under the supervision of Atty. Krismae Valdez, LSPs Tynny Rose D. Beldua, Jhakie Lee Tan, Client Calledo, Keith Lemos, and Arlan Labrador assisted in rendering legal services, including consultations with community members seeking advice on legal matters.
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Spearheaded by the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte, the outreach brought government services directly to the barangay. The LSPs participated as part of their Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP), which allows law students to gain practical experience in handling legal concerns under the guidance of supervising lawyers while extending legal assistance to communities.

08/10/2026

What does it mean to learn law beyond the classroom?

The Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP), established under Rule 138-A, gives certified law student practitioners the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in legal practice while serving clients and communities under the supervision of qualified lawyers.

From drafting pleadings and assisting in proceedings to providing legal counseling and advice, CLEP brings legal education closer to the realities of practice.

Watch the video to learn more about CLEP, the role of law student practitioners, and how the program connects legal education with service.

07/10/2026

| RMC Law Student Practitioners Mary Catherine P. Egpan, Emeley Rose Ong, and Reynold Montero are gaining firsthand experience in prosecution work through their externship at the Office of the City Prosecutor of Davao City.
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The externship forms part of their Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) and gives them the opportunity to take part, under proper supervision, in case evaluation, legal research and writing, client and witness interaction, court-related processes, and other legal work. The experience allows the LSPs to see more closely how criminal cases move through the justice system while putting into practice the skills they have developed in law school and at the Legal Aid Clinic.
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30/09/2026

START YOUR JOURNEY IN LEGAL EDUCATION!

Looking for a flexible way to pursue your Juris Doctor (J.D.) or earn a Master of Legal Studies (MLS)?

RMC School of Law offers:
ONLINE CLASSES
Classes are conducted online for greater accessibility and convenience.
FACE-TO-FACE EXAMINATIONS
Examinations are conducted face-to-face to ensure proper assessment
REGIONALIZED EXAMINATION
Residing outside Davao City? A regionalized examination option is available for qualified students, subject to applicable guidelines and approval.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Monday to Friday: 5:30 PM-9:30 PM

23/09/2026

| Law Student Practitioners (LSPs) of The Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. – Justice Leopoldo Abellera Legal Aid Clinic met with the top leadership of Bantay Hayop Davao on September 18 to coordinate preparations for a 3-in-1 Legal Outreach Activity set for late October.
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The planned activity will bring together three components: free legal consultation and legal aid, a mini forum on the latest amendments to the Animal Welfare Act and other relevant policies, and an outreach activity that will also mark the launch of an Adopt-an-Animal House initiative.
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The coordination meeting tackled the initial arrangements for the activity, which seeks to combine legal service, public education, and animal welfare advocacy in one community-based initiative.

18/09/2026

17/09/2026

| 𝗥𝗠𝗖-𝗦𝗢𝗟 𝗟𝗦𝗣𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗙𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
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The Rizal Memorial Colleges School of Law (RMC-SOL) Justice Leopoldo Abellera Legal Aid Clinic, through the Law Student Practitioners (LSPs) – Class Veritas, conducted a jail visitation and legal outreach activity at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) XI Davao City Jail–Female Dormitory in Maa, Davao City, on September 12.
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Dubbed “Bridging Justice: Law Beyond the Classroom, Service Beyond the Walls,” the activity provided supervised legal assistance to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), giving the LSPs an opportunity to apply their legal training in an actual legal aid setting.
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The LSPs were accompanied by Atty. Ismael Catalino Maestre, Jr., Supervising Lawyer and RMC-SOL Liaison Officer to the Justice Zone Davao City. Also joining the outreach were supervising lawyers Atty. Angelou Karyl Ocsio, ​ Atty. Jubelle Angeli Maturan, ​Atty. Elaine Medillo, ​ Atty. Kairos William Anggadol, ​ Atty. Kherenne Joy Domondon, ​ Atty. Marjoeleen Labrador, and ​ Atty. Ralph Nikko D. Cebritas, who also rendered legal services during the activity.
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The RMC-SOL delegation was welcomed by the PDLs and jail personnel led by JO2 Sheila Mae Jenilla, Senior Officer of the Day.
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Alongside the legal consultations, the students also distributed hygiene kits to support the everyday needs of the PDLs.
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Organized as part of the Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) for the first semester of Academic Year 2026–2027, the outreach is a testament to the RMC-SOL Legal Aid Clinic’s steadfast commitment to hands-on learning.

13/09/2026

And just like that, the final day of the Bar Examinations has come to an end.
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To everyone who showed up, stayed the course, and gave their best over these past three days, congratulations on making it to the finish line.
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The road to the Bar is never measured only by the examination itself. It is also measured by the discipline, sacrifices, and determination it took to get there.
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Whatever comes next, remember this moment: 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.
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May you find time to rest, reflect, and look forward to the possibilities ahead. The RMC Legal Aid Clinic is proud to stand with our future members of the legal profession. ⚖️

10/09/2026

| A glimpse of the Law Student Practitioners (LSPs) of The Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc. – School of Law (RMC-SOL) during their scheduled assignments at the RMC-SOL Legal Aid Clinic.
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As part of the School of Law’s Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP), LSPs undertake supervised clinical learning that allows them to gain practical experience while developing the professionalism, responsibility, and commitment to service expected in the practice of law.
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Swipe through the gallery to meet some of the LSPs taking their turn at the Legal Aid Clinic.