Did you Know

THE CITIZEN’S Legal Assistance Office (CLAO), the predecessor of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), was created in 1972 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1 and tasked to represent, free of charge, indigent persons in legal cases. On Oct. 23, 1972, the functions of the CLAO were expanded to include civil, administrative, criminal and labor cases. In July 1987, CLAO was renamed PAO , whose  central office is currently located at the Department of Justice Agencies Building on NIA Road corner East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. Marielle Medina, Inquirer Research