IBP donates electric fans to make courts bearable

CEBU, Philippines - The Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Cebu City Chapter has donated 65 electric fans worth P52,000 to the courts in the city.

Chapter President Elaine Bathan and some members of the chapter turned the fans over to Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Soliver Peras yesterday.

“Hopefully, ma-lessen ang kainit nga maramdaman namo diri sa court og mga litigants and especially the lawyers. I am accepting this donation on behalf of the judiciary. Thank you to IBP especially their president. More power to them!” Peras said.

The fans will be distributed to the different branches of the RTC and the Municipal Trial Court in Cities.

Peras said they have actually requested the provincial government for electric fans but the request has not been granted just yet.

The absence of proper ventilation at the Qimonda IT Center where the courts are now housed is one of the reasons the IBP donated the fans. The IBP also passed a resolution requesting judges to allow lawyers to dispense with proper corporate attire while in court.

“We are requesting not because of summer but because of lack of proper ventilation here in the building because it’s very hot,” Bathan said.

Male lawyers are required to wear a long-sleeved shirt, coat and tie while women lawyers are required to wear a blazer during court appearances.

Bathan said once the third and fourth floors of Qimonda IT Center will be fully fixed and proper ventilation is in place, the lawyers can resume wearing the required corporate attire. Branches of the RTC and MTCC are occupying the ground floor and second floor of the building temporarily.

Bathan said they have furnished the Supreme Court and Court Administrator Midas Marquez a copy of the resolution.

The Supreme Court decided to lease the Qimonda IT Center after the Office of the Building Official (OBO) in Cebu City declared the Palace of Justice at the Capitol compound unsafe for occupancy after it was damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit the Visayas last year.  (FREEMAN)