LAW & LIFE: A Bold New Approach to Legal EmpowermentLights Up Barangay IVC-"Karapatan Mo, Sagutin Ko"

What happens when community service swaps its traditional script for legal empowerment? The answer came to light in Marikina City on October 11, 2025, when over 30 residents of Barangay Industrial Valley Complex (IVC) discovered the law isn't a complex mystery—it's a shield.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Rizal-San Mateo Chapter (IBP-RSM) and the Rotary Club of Marikina Hilltop didn't just host a forum; they launched a vital community intervention: "Karapatan Mo, Sagutin Ko (Your Right, I Will Answer)". Their mission was clear: translate complex, everyday legal issues into language every citizen could understand.

Gossip, Debt, and Your Rights

This dynamic edition zeroed in on two hot-button issues that resonate deeply within the community:

1. "Utang Na Loob o Legal na Obligasyon? — Usaping Utang at Paniningil" (Debt of Gratitude or Legal Obligation? — The Lowdown on Loans and Collections); and .

2. "Bawal ang Chismosa": The Legal Consequences of Gossip and False Accusations.

The volunteer lawyers, speaking primarily in Filipino, ditched the jargon and sparked an engaging level of active participation. Attendees were eager to unpack the legal lines around common social practices. The debt discussion brilliantly navigated the tricky space between a personal favor (utang na loob) and a formal financial contract, giving both lenders and borrowers clear-cut insights into their rights and remedies. Meanwhile, the second topic delivered a powerful wake-up call: seemingly harmless gossip or an unfounded accusation can quickly escalate into criminal or civil liability under Philippine law.

Legal Lifeline at Your Doorstep

The energy carried through the open forum and free legal advice session. Participants took the opportunity to consult directly with IBP-RSM lawyers on a wide range of personal and family matters—from property disputes to sensitive domestic issues—all handled with professionalism and genuine compassion.

“Our goal is to demystify the law and make concepts directly applicable to everyday life,” stated one IBP-RSM volunteer. “Legal empowerment starts when people realize the law isn’t a distant document—it's a tool that can protect them and solve their real problems.” Rotary Club of Marikina Hilltop President John Goodlucky Nicolas emphasized the project’s significance. “This project lives and breathes our mission of ‘Service Above Self’ by bringing critical legal support right to the community’s doorstep. Access to legal knowledge isn’t a privilege; it’s a lifeline. By empowering individuals, we are strengthening the entire community from the ground up.”

Barangay officials were thrilled to partner in this inaugural IVC legal forum. The overwhelming response was a request for more: residents are already asking for future workshops covering specific concerns for women, senior citizens, workers’ rights, and property rights. As the event concluded, the message resonated loud and clear: Legal rights belong to everyone. Through powerful, direct partnerships like this, communities are moving closer to becoming

more informed, confident, and truly empowered.

Following this success in Marikina, the IBP-RSM and the Rotary Club of Marikina Hilltop are committed to taking Karapatan Mo, Sagutin Ko to more barangays. This initiative powerfully brings to life Rotary’s global endeavor to build peace and resolve conflict right here in our local communities.

Written by: GP John Goodlucky V. Nicolas