Bar Group Offers Free Legal Aid Clinics to Filipinos in The Netherlands

Atty. Marcelino Atanante and Philippine Ambassador to The Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya with lawyers from the Philippine Embassy and the IBP QC Chapter during the signing of the Declaration of Intent. (The Hague PE photo)

THE HAGUE, 08 November 2022 — Free legal aid services for Filipinos in The Netherlands were formalized by a visiting delegation from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Quezon City Chapter (IBP-QC) during a community forum held on 02 November at the Philippine Embassy in The Hague.

A Declaration of Intent was signed by Atty. Marcelino Michael I. Atanante IV, President of the Quezon City chapter conveying their intent to conduct monthly legal consultations for Filipinos in The Netherlands, either in-person or onsite wherever practicable. The document was also signed by Philippine Ambassador to The Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya as witness.

Ambassador Malaya conveyed the deep appreciation of the Embassy and the Filipino-Dutch community for the bar chapter’s generous gesture. “We commend the IBP Quezon City chapter for its proactive work in extending free legal services to our fellow Filipinos, not only in the Philippines, but also overseas, including the Netherlands. These are significant steps in enhancing access to justice to Filipinos,” Ambassador Malaya said.

Atty. Atanante IV introduced the IBP-QC and its public service initiatives, notably its “bench and bar” dialogue among lawyers, prosecutors, police, and other stakeholders with a view to facilitating the expeditious handling of cases, and the donation of computers to other IBP chapters to increase efficiency, and of food items and other basic provisions to community groups in the Philippines affected by the pandemic.

The forum was capped by a Q&A forum and one-on-one consultations with community members on their personal legal concerns, notably on family relations and real property holdings.  

Accompanying bar chapter president Atanante were Atty. Melissa R. Encanto-Tagarda, Atty. Cherrie B. Belmonte-Lim, Atty. Angelica Rose C. Dimalanta, Atty. Rowell Ilagan, Atty. Melody S. Favis, Atty. Jeff Constantino and Atty. Cynthia Corazon G. Roxas.

Consisting around 10,000 members, the Quezon City chapter is the largest among the 86 IBP chapters in the Philippines. As mandated by the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the IBP is the official organization of all Filipino lawyers with the mission to elevate the standards of the legal profession, improve the administration of justice, and enable the Bar to discharge its public responsibility more effectively. The IBP-QC has assisted some 2,000 Filipinos in their free legal consultation services in recent years.

Details on the schedule of next legal consultation will be announced by the Embassy in due course.

For more information on the free legal aid services of the IBP-QC, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. END

For more information, visit https://www.thehaguepe.dfa.gov.ph or  https://www.facebook.com/PHinTheNetherlands/.