The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) is transferring to a new and bigger space in a 5,175-square meter government lot at the National Government Center on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City near the Commission on Audit.
PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta visited the ongoing construction being conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The construction of the new PAO central office building formally commenced on April 26, 2019.
“We will move to a more convenient place so we could better serve our millions of indigent clients,” Rueda-Acosta told the Manila Standard. “It (building) is 60 percent rough,” she said when asked about the construction completion.
In May 2017, PAO entered into a memorandum of agreement with the DPWH and National Housing Authority for the preparation of the required architectural designs and building engineering plans.
A P900-million fund was allocated under the DPWH’s 2018 budget.
The Department of Justice believes PAO, one of its attached agencies, deserves a building of its own to make PAO more productive in providing free legal aid to the ever growing influx of poor clients.
PAO is presently located at the fourth and fifth floors of the DOJ Agencies Building along NIA Road corner East Avenue.
