Mariano Marcos State University Center for Legal Aid, Research and Advocacy

18/03/2025

𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 | Serbisyo para kay Juana: CLARA Legal Aid Clinic

As part of the National Women's Month celebration, the MMSU Center for Legal Aid, Research, and Advocacy (CLARA) will offer a free legal aid clinic on March 26 at Mangasep Hall, College of Law, providing walk-in clients with legal consultation and assistance for gender-based cases, including violence against women and children, sexual harassment, and safe space violations.

For more information, contact the MMSU CLARA through their page here: https://www.facebook.com/KarbengamAmmuemMMSU

07/01/2025

The Center’s legal interns, Mr. Dan Wayne Aribuabo, Mr. Jahziel Dale Failano, Ms. Hannah Gagto, and Ms. Maxime Gaile Pomoy, successfully completed a semester-long legal fellowship programme with Justice Without Borders, a non-governmental organization that renders legal assistance to Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong and Singapore.

During the programme, our interns embarked on a series of knowledge exchange sessions which ultimately resulted in the conduct and completion of their capstone project, “Bridging the Gap between Knowledge of Migrants’ Rights and Migrants’ Assistance: The Case of Filipino Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong.” This research project shall serve as the baseline for future collaborative projects with Justice Without Borders. Atty. Josiah Patrick Bagayas, the center’s chief, served as the mentor and facilitator of the programme.

17/12/2024

13/12/2024

Congratulations to our new MMSU lawyers!

Mariano Marcos State University ranked 1st among law schools with 1 to 10 first-time candidates in the 2024 Bar Examinations, achieving an impressive 100% passing rate.

Our university also attained 2nd overall for all takers in the same bracket, with an outstanding 90% overall institutional passing rate—more than double the national average of 37.84%.

Out of 10 examinees from the MMSU College of Law, 7 out of 7 first-time takers passed, while the other two were re-takers from the Classes of 2016 and 2023.

The new lawyers from MMSU are:

1. Atty. Darwin Andres
2. Atty. Khayle Marie Apalisoc
3. Atty. Mayflor Balinuyus
4. Atty. Lorma Auria Cuadro
5. Atty. Roi Angeli Domingo
6. Atty. Kyla Janine Garvida
7. Atty. Kristia Ruth Mangabat
8. Atty. Deborah Faith Pajarillo
9. Atty. Ma. Kristel Kae Sacoco

They are among the 3,962 passers out of 10,490 who completed the three-day bar examinations.

As new lawyers, they are ready to uphold justice, defend rights, and contribute to a fairer society.

MMSU OIC-President Prima Fe R. Franco, together with the entire university community, warmly congratulates our new lawyers for bringing pride and honor to the Green and Gold.

22/11/2024

16/11/2024

The inaugural iteration of “Rule of Law at the Grassroots: Capacity Enhancement Seminar towards Barangay Governance” gathered Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials from four (4) barangays of the Municipality of Paoay, Ilocos Norte.

Atty. Josiah Bagayas, the chief of the center, delivered a briefer on the concept and components of the rule of law, and shared insights on the current status of the rule of law in the Philippines.

Afterwards, Ms. Carmela Esteban and Ms. Ma. Karel Mariñas delivered a presentation on the Katarungang Barangay mechanism. This was followed by a presentation on the updated Philippine Youth Development Plan and SK Reform Law by Mr. Brylle Abad and Ms. Rizza Urbina.

08/11/2024

The center’s law student practitioners under the community legal outreach track are spearheading the inaugural iteration of the “Rule of Law at the Grassroots: Capacity Enhancement Seminar towards Effective Barangay Governance” on November 16, 2024 from 8AM-12NN at the MMSU College of Law moot court room.

25/10/2024

Sharing the article written by Atty. Josiah Patrick P. Bagayas on Fulcrum Singapore, a platform that provides analysis on socio-political, economic, and geostrategic trends in Southeast Asia. It is published by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute under Singapore’s Ministry of Education.

Networks of patronage continue to propagate abuses by fraternities in the Philippines. These networks should be dismantled.

16/10/2024

Sixteen (16) law student practitioners took their oath today before the Regional Trial Court of Batac City.

08/10/2024

Law student practitioners under the Community Legal Outreach Track rendered legal assistance and technical expertise to the university’s Office of Student Affairs and Services in a workshop that reviewed the proposed university rules on student conduct and discipline.

03/10/2024

The Center in partnership with Justice Without Borders (JWB), a legal NGO that renders assistance to domestic workers in Hong Kong and Singapore, is rolling out the innovative Legal Clinic Fellowship Programme this semester. We are introducing our inaugural batch of legal clinic fellows who will undergo an experiental legal training with JWB as part of their clinical legal education program.

25/09/2024

The MMSU-CAS Department of Social Sciences, in partnership with Magik FM-Laoag and the Rotary Club of Laoag Sunshine, will launch "Tungtongan," an interdisciplinary discussion on public matters, on Friday, September 27, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 NN.

A limited number of participants will also be accommodated at the MMSU Center for Flexible Learning. Join us via Facebook Live for the pilot episode, "Faith or Fraud? The Quiboloy Case, Allegations, and Accountability," and engage with the panel of speakers.