93 International Peer Reviewed Journal Implementation of the Katarungang Pambarangay in the Selected Barangay in Legazpi City for FY 2015-2020 CONSORCIA EVELYN E. SOTTO http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0412-1331 consorciasotto@yahoo.com Bicol College Sagpon, Daraga, Albay, Philippines Originality: 100% • Grammar Check: 98% • Plagiarism: 0% ABSTRACT The study aimed to determine the level of implementation of the Lupong Pangkapayapaan at the selected barangays in Legazpi City for FY 2015-2020. Specifically, it aimed to determine the status of Katarungang Pangbarangay in terms of the nature of complaints filed by the residents, problems encountered by the Lupong Tagapamayapa in its effort to amicably settle disputes, and propose recommendations that may be suggested by the Lupon Members and by the parties to the disputes as regards the effective settlement of disputes. The descriptive method of research was used. The study revealed that there were different disputes among the residents filed, there were problems encountered by the Lupong Tagapamayapa in its effort to settle the disputes amicably, and there were proposed recommendations with regards to the effective settlement of the disputes. As recommended, the members of the committee should have enough knowledge in handling the different disputes that are being filed in the barangay, and the barangay council should conduct a seminar on the basic laws, protocols, and procedures to provide more knowledge and skills necessary in addressing disputes in the community. The local government unit should continue to empower the members of the committee in its effort to the effective settlement of the different disputes. Vol. 44 · March 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7719/jpair.v44i1.585 Print ISSN 2012-3981 Online ISSN 2244-0445 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0412-1331 mailto:consorciasotto@yahoo.com https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ 94 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research Keywords — Social Science, disputes, lupong tagapamayapa, implementation, amicable settlement, descriptive method, Philippines INTRODUCTION The practitioners in peace and security seek solutions to the increasing numbers of conflicts in middle-income countries. There is a range of actors, multilateral organizations like the United Nations, governments, non- governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector continue to invest in the capacity to make better use of data to promote peace and security (Relief Web, 2019). This leads to too many ongoing initiatives in developing new practical data sources with the use of technologies and other new approaches to defining better where the risks and threats to peace and security. In this way, better insights and essential information can be gathered in addressing the issues in a particular place. By 2030, more than half of the world’s poor will be living in nations with high levels of violence if current trends continue (Center on International Cooperation, 2018). However, resources allocated to peacebuilding and prevention are a small fraction of those allocated to crisis response and reconstruction. Similarly, it highlights the need to focus on peace, justice, and inclusion with the new frameworks for development. The member states affirm their commitment to the centrality of peace and prevention, specifically foster peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. In many cases, governments pursue security with approaches that decrease the exclusion and inequality core drivers of conflict. In an article of World Report (2019) in Vietnam, the basic civil and political rights, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful public assembly, are severely restricted. It prohibits the formation of independent labor unions, political associations, and human rights organizations. Police frequently use excessive force to disperse peaceful public protests that criticize the government. In Indonesia, it is a relatively new but now major contributor of United Nations peacekeepers (Wiharta, 2016). The government announced in early 2015 that it would send 4,000 peacekeepers by 2019 and that it would join the UN’s top ten contributors list. Although Indonesia originally committed UN peacekeepers to the UN in the 1950s, it remained mainly absent during President Suharto’s New Order dictatorship until the early 1990s, owing to the military’s responsibility for internal security. Given its leading role in the peace process 95 International Peer Reviewed Journal in Cambodia, Indonesia deploys nearly 2,000 peacekeepers to UNTAC (1992- 94). Indonesia then retreats from UN peacekeeping until 2006, when it deploys about 1,000 uniformed personnel to five UN missions. Since then, Indonesia demonstrates a sustained and significant commitment to UN peace operations through increasing deployments and active and engages participation in policy development. Indonesia expanded its contribution to include police officers in 2007, sending six police officers to UNMIS in Sudan. In 2008, it deployed its first Formed Police Units (FPUs) to UNAMID in Darfur and had maintained its commitment there ever since. The national police, POLRI is keen to expand its contributions, particularly FPUs and female police officers, and increases its international training efforts for its cadre of police officers. Sam et al. (2013) explore the Barangay Justice Service System (BJSS) project, which was launched in Maguindanao Province, Southern Philippines, with the goal of strengthening the awareness and technical know-how of personnel handling disputes and cases at the local level. It examines the project’s content and subject areas, as well as the mechanisms and strategies used to implement the project, which is divided into five (5) modules: Katarungan Pambarangay; Counseling; Paralegal Mediation; and Shariah or P.D. 1083, also known as “The Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines.” The project’s implementation resulted in more accessible and affordable justice services in Maguindanao Province’s local communities, as planned. The decrease in cases filed at normal trial courts, particularly civil matters within the jurisdiction of the Katarungan Pambarangay level, demonstrates this. By providing correct documentation and records of instances and settlements that were not properly addressed in the past at the barangay level, a more improved and methodical way of addressing conflicts at the local level was also established. Finally, the program was a success because of the backing of not only local officials but also community citizens, who saw the program’s relevance and responsiveness to the need for quick and impartial delivery of justice services at the local level. In this way, to reduce the load of the lower courts, local committees of citizens called Pacification Committees (Lupon Tagapamayapa) are being organized to effect the extrajudicial settlement of minor cases between barangay residents (Britannica, 2000). In this way, in each committee, there is a conciliation body or the so-called Pangkat Tagapagkasundo wherein whose main function is to bring opposing parties together and effect an amicable settlement of differences. As stated in the rules, the committee cannot impose punishment, but otherwise, its decisions are binding. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amicable 96 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research Furthermore, citizens prefer to resolve their conflicts first at the barangay level through the Lupong Tagapamayapa, according to the Department of Local Government (2019). The chairman of this peacekeeping council is the barangay captain, who is joined by ten to twenty members who live or work in the community. They are expected to supervise the conciliation panels administratively, meet once a month to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas among its members and the public on issues related to the amicable settlement of disputes and allow various conciliation panel members to share their observations and experiences in effecting the amicable settlement of disputes. In this effect, according to Philippine Information Agency (2018), in Tagurong City, Sultan Kudarat, some 300 village leaders in the 20 barangays attend training that aims to improve their implementation of the Katarungang Pambarangay Law. The training involves members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa, composed of barangay officials and community leaders. The course covers the discussions on the implementing rules, regulations, and procedures of the Katarungang Pambarangay law. The participants are also introduced to the KP forms specific to every action that will be carried out by the Lupon. They also learn about their powers, duties, and functions, and scope of authority as members of the Lupong Tapamayapa. On the other side, it gives information on anti-violence against women and children, giving barangay officials a better understanding of what they can do to improve response processes in cases involving these groups. Lupong Tagapamayapa is a body formed of the punong barangay as chairman and neither less than ten nor more than 20 members in each barangay. Each Lupon member must be a bona fide resident of the barangay and not hold an electoral office. They are picked because they have personal qualities that suggest their suitability for the role of resolving conflicts. In the Province of Albay according to Serrano and Calipay (2018) the local government unit through its massive campaigns, plays a crucial role and do their share in relieving hundreds of villages in Bicol of the bondage of insurgency and poverty. Not only in the selected barangays of Legazpi City that the Katarungang Pangbarangay is being applied and implemented in order to address the complaints of the residents in the community and amicably settle such disputes in the barangay level, but also in all the barangays all over the country. To really find out the effectiveness of such law in the selected barangay of Legazpi City hence, this study aims to determine the status of Katarungang Pangbarangay in Barangay Tinago, Puro, and Rizal from 2017 to 2020. 97 International Peer Reviewed Journal According to Grignon and Kroslak (2008), after a decade of dramatic failures in the 1990s in Somalia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, peacekeeping operations aimed to protect the people in Africa. There was an increasing number of peacekeepers through the United Nations and the African Union (AU) with the support of the European Union, especially in Sudan’s Darfur region, Chad, the Central African Republic, and Somalia in order to protect the civilians who were under imminent threat. As indicated in the report, the recent peacekeeping operations had indeed achieved notable successes in Africa. However, their success had not been in the area of civilian protection. Similarly, the United Nations mission in Congo efficiently supported the peace process, yet in its efforts over the past five years to save lives in eastern Congo had performed abysmally means to address the political rationales behind the violence. On the other hand, Bernard (2016) claimed that this decade marked a radical shift in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states’ attitudes toward its role in the region. In the record, the idea of an ASEAN regional peacekeeping cooperation was first raised in 1994 but never gained traction among its member states. It could be perceived that ASEAN did not interfere in the domestic affairs of its member countries. In this way, Malaysia had reinvigorated the push to create a regional peacekeeping force, and over the past year, member states had become increasingly supportive. However, there were still some hurdles. Initially, the member states opposed the idea of an ASEAN peacekeeping force because of their shared history of colonization, except in Thailand, followed by bloody and protracted independence wars. As such, sovereignty and non-interference became the bedrock of many member states, including and founding principles enshrined in the ASEAN charter. Instead of pushing for an active regional peacekeeping force, ASEAN opted for third-way conflict management based on consensus and consultation. Conversely, again in Indonesia in 2003 raised the issue with the suggestion that ASEAN adopts a peacekeeping force in order to address the increasing number of intra-state conflicts across Southeast Asia with spillover potential to neighboring countries. It could be manifested in Indonesia’s candid support for a force emanating from its growing contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping (2019) operation driven by its desire to strengthen the democratic image abroad. According to a UN Peacekeeping statement (2019), the UN Peacekeeping mission assisted countries in strengthening the rule of law by restoring and http://thediplomat.com/2015/02/malaysia-wants-an-asean-peacekeeping-force/ https://www.academia.edu/344321/The_Absence_of_ASEAN_Peacekeeping_in_Southeast_Asia_2009_ https://www.academia.edu/344321/The_Absence_of_ASEAN_Peacekeeping_in_Southeast_Asia_2009_ http://thediplomat.com/2014/04/asean-and-un-peacekeeping/ http://www.nids.go.jp/english/event/symposium/pdf/2014/E-06.pdf 98 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research maintaining security, protecting civilians, paving the way for peacebuilding, rebuilding communities, and creating the enabling conditions for long-term peace. Hence, the rule of law activities in peacekeeping was people-centered initiatives and tailored to local realities and assisted communities in producing concrete peace dividends. In addition, the United Nations’ Peacekeeping also supported the rule of law by providing interim stability or security measures, such as mixed patrols in Mali, local ceasefires in Darfur, informal and community-led security arrangements in Abyei, local peace agreements in the Central African Republic and targeted community violence reduction programs in Haiti. The ties that hold society together, as well as a sense of trust and fairness, can be severely broken in countries emerging from deadly conflict. Armed combatants, for example, may walk free, local police may be feared, and old grievances may resurface. According to Franco (2013), the October 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front was a milestone in the peace negotiations during the Aquino Administration. It illustrated how mediation and local-level peace could trump national-level rhetoric. However, this contradicted to popular belief that Kuala Lumpur’s foreign policy eschewed support for Moro secession. More crucially, the Malaysian- led International Monitoring Team’s efficacy as a peacekeeping force aided community peace. This essay demonstrates how local-level peace and mediation may transcend national-level rhetoric. In a report of the United Nations (2017), the organizations encouraged its member nations the member to be more flexible, nimble, and pragmatic in creating and managing the peacekeeping operations in order to prevent conflict better and protect the civilians in an increasingly complex world. In condemning the blight of sexual exploitation and abuse by some peacekeepers that had harmed the lives of civilians and damaged the organization’s credibility, thus, zero tolerance of those acts had become a reality. Furthermore, it emphasized the importance of increased measures to prevent conflicts from erupting or spiraling out of control, particularly during the key transition period when troops leave a country. Gender parity in the field was also critical since more women in peacekeeping have been shown to improve trust, protection reach, and interactions with communities while reducing sexual abuse incidences. In the statement of the City Government of Valencia (2016), the Barangay Tanod (BPAT) played a significant role in the development and progress of the 99 International Peer Reviewed Journal barangay, as it was one of the implementing mechanisms of the Barangay Peace and Order Committee (BPOC). It ensured that peace and order prevailed in the barangay while conducting peacekeeping activities in association with the various sectors of the community. Similarly, the Valencia City Government, in collaboration with the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, and the Valencia City Police Station, had a common goal of recognizing BPAT and the Barangay Tanod’s contributions in the barangay. According to Presidential Communications (2015), Malacanang Palace led the awarding of outstanding barangays during the national assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas’ awards ceremony. The Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Award (LTIA) 2013 National Awardees were Barangay San Vicente, Butuan City, Region XIII (for Highly Urbanized Cities); Barangay Cataning, Balanga City, Bataan, Region III (Component Cities); Barangay Kitang II/ Luz, Limay, I Bataan, Region III; and Barangay Ambassador, Tublay, Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region. As stated in the Department of Interior and Local Government (2016), the City Government of Davao conducted a forum on positive peace in close coordination with Peace 911. The activity was in relation to the continuing efforts of the department to support the Executive Order No. 70 series of 2018 known as institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation Approach in attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating a National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) and Directing the Adoption of a National Peace Framework. In this effect, the revised Katarungang Pangbarangay Law, the lupon was composed of the Punong Barangay and 10 to 20 members. The lupon were normally constituted every three years and held office until a new lupon is constituted in the third year. Members assisted in settling disputes between parties without receiving remuneration, with the exception of limited honoraria, allowances, and other emoluments recognized by law or barrio, municipal, or city code. As a result, practically all civil issues and every criminal infraction punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than one year or a fine of not more than P5,000.00 could be settled amicably under the KP if the parties involved lived in the same city or municipality. Sone (2017) claimed that most disputing African states relied heavily on foreign intervention in the resolution of their disputes. It was argued that African leaders needed to establish a strong commitment to resolving the conflicts 100 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research through effective leadership. It was suggested that African leaders and the AU understand the problems of Africans better than anyone else, and they were also the ones most greatly affected by these disputes. On the other hand, De Juan (2017) made an argument that the historical, political, and cultural topographies were essential to understanding patterns of the persistence and demise of precolonial institutions. Traditional modes of conflict resolution remained strong where they had been internalized over centuries: in the cultural and political centers of precolonial states. The author used the original geocoded survey data and historical spatial information on pre-colonial Burundi to analyze this hypothesis. The estimations yielded robust correlations between the geographic patterns of the pre-colonial kingdom and current modes of resource-related conflict resolution. Ayer et al. (2017) conducted a comprehensive review to synthesize empirical evidence on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and its psychological effects in another study. As a whole, the body of literature suggested that exposure to regional political conflict and violence could have detrimental effects on psychological well-being and that these effects likely extended beyond the psychiatric disorders and symptoms most commonly studied. More investigations on the nonclinical psychological components of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, as well as longitudinal studies on the impact of the conflicts, were advised by the review. It is possible to see how Chong (2012) made an analysis of the multifaceted complexities embedded in disputes involving contested cultural heritage. It underscored the point that quarrels over ostensibly petty issues are often symptomatic of protracted undercurrents of political conflict between states. Drawing from the illustrations of the pending example, it further demonstrated how failure addressed these latent tensions could potentially result in destructive manifestations, even over seemingly trivial spats. It proposed that examining these disputes within the broader context of the history and dynamics of the relationships of the various parties of the dispute became necessary and critical in engendering a sustainable resolution of disputes over shared cultural heritage. Similarly, Raharjo (2016) explained the role of cross-border cooperation in managing communal conflicts in the border area between the Timor Tengah Utara District of Indonesia and the Oecussi District of Timor Leste. This study showed that cross-border cooperation played a significant role in managing the conflict by reducing violence, building and maintaining social relations, as well as improving the economic development of the local people. https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Sandy-Nur-Ikfal-Raharjo-2166178756 101 International Peer Reviewed Journal In a similar perspective, Zaw (2018) analyzed the nature of ethnic conflicts in Myanmar and the consequences and situations from the independence time to the current time under a democratic government. The study attempted to show detailed information about how Myanmar governments tried to shape conflict resolution and peace-building in the country and why it is still traumatic in the country. Moreover, this study also spoke more about some solutions for the peace-building process from different dimensions and communication. Silliman (1985) argued that the Philippine system of compulsory conciliation is important both in terms of the political system as a whole and in terms of how it operates at the village level. The author argued that the national law- enforced mediation structures are part of a pattern in which the Philippine state is incorporating various sectors of civil society into itself, but that the cooperation of the traditional method of dispute resolution is not meeting resistance from rural Filipinos. This study supported the more general idea that informal justice systems serve to strengthen centralized political power, but it also revealed the dialectic. In another study, Ranario et al. (2014) determined the conciliation competencies of the Lupong Tagapamayapa of selected barangays in Cebu City. The study was conducted in 4 barangays, namely: Barangay Guadalupe and Barangay Sapangdaku from the South District and Barangay San Antonio, and Barangay Hipodromo from the North District. Included in this study was the member of the Lupon of Barangays Sapangdaku, Guadalupe, San Antonio, and Hipodromo, who was appointed by the barangay captains by virtue of Section 399 of the 1991 Local Government Code of the Philippines, which states: “The punong Barangay, taking into consideration the proposed appointments or any recommendation for appointment, shall, within ten days after posting appoint members who shall be determined to be suitable, therefore.” In conclusion, Mohammed and Caingat (2017) found out that majority of the filed cases were resolved with the help of the barangay justice system. In addition, robbery or theft and trespassing were the cases that were commonly not resolved due to the lack of evidence and the identities of those who committed the offenses. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The study aimed to determine the level of implementation of the Lupong Pangkapayapaan at Barangay Tinago, Puro and Rizal in Legazpi City from 102 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research 2015-2019. Specifically, it aimed to (1) determine the status of Katarungang Pangbarangay in Barangay Tinago, Puro, and Rizal in Legazpi City from 2017- 2020 terms of nature of complaints filed by the residents, number of disputes conciliated and amicably settled, and number of cases elevated to the court for failure to be settled amicably, (2) determine the problems encountered by the Lupong Tagapamayapa in its effort amicably settle disputes as regards to their background knowledge on legal and other matters, the attitude of disputants, and availability of government lawyers to give advice to both disputants, and (3) propose recommendations that may be suggested by the Lupon Members and by the parties to the disputes as regards the effective settlement of disputes. METHODOLOGY Research Design This study employed the descriptive method of research in gathering relevant information of the study. Research Site The study was conducted in Legazpi City in the Province of Albay. Participants The study utilized the 36 members of the barangay council and lupong tagapamayapa from the three barangays in Legazpi City. Data Collection The researcher personally sought permission from the office of the barangay captain of the selected barangays in Legazpi City to conduct the study. Upon approval, the researcher asked for the records from the barangay secretary. The researcher administered the distribution of the questionnaires to the respondents and requested them to answer all the items as honestly as possible. The researcher personally retrieved the questionnaires. The gathered data were tabulated and tallied, and the weighted mean was computed to determine the perceptions of the respondents. Statistical Technique The findings of the study were evaluated using statistical terms and formulas. The frequency count and the percent determined the responses of the respondents, 103 International Peer Reviewed Journal while the weighted mean was used to express the relative participation of the set of responses compared to the totality. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The findings of this study were presented in a descriptive and tabular form analyzed and interpreted to answer the research objectives. Data were gathered to determine the problems encountered by the committee in the conduct of Problems are encountered by the Lupong Tagapamayapa in its effort amicably settle disputes by the parties as the basis for recommendations may be suggested by the Lupon Members and by the parties to the disputes as regards the effective settlement of disputes. Table 1. Number and Nature of Complaints by the Residents N = 36 Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 P Indicators F WM F WM F WM F WM F WM F WM Agrarian disputes 7 19.44 5 13,88 4 11.11 6 16.66 7 19.44 80.33 Personal loans/ debts/collection 3 8,33 1 2.77 1 2.77 2 5.55 2 5.55 4 11.11 36.08 Breach of contract 3 8.33 6 16..88 4 11.11 3 8.33 1 2.77 52.75 Husband-wife relation disputes 2 5.55 3 11.11 5 19.44 3 11.11 2 5.55 1 2.77 44.64 Thefts and robberies 2 5.85 3 8.33 8 22.22 8 22.22 3 8.33 3 8.33 75.24 Sexual cases & Acts of lasciviousness 4 11.11 2 5.85 3 8.33 5 13.88 4 11.11 2 5.55 55.83 Child support issues 1 2.77 6 16.63 3 8.33 3 8.33 5 13.33 3 8.33 57.72 Violence against women and children 3 8.33 3 8.33 8 22.22 5 13.88 3 8.33 61.09 Physical violence 1 2.77 4 11.11 5 13.88 1 2.77 2 5.85 56.12 Land border disputes 2 5.55 3 8.33 5 11.11 1 2.77 1 2.77 6 16.66 47.19 Right of way cases 5 13.88 6 16.66 3 8.33 3 8.33 2 5.85 1 2.77 55.82 Table 1 presented the status of the implementation of the Katarungang Pambarangay, specifically on the number and nature of complaints by the 104 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research residents. The respondents were made to answer the questionnaire to determine the number and nature of the complaints filed from 2015 to 2020. As indicated on the table, agrarian disputes had a frequency of 28 and the highest percentage of 80.33, while personal loans, debts, and collection had the lowest frequency of 13 or 36.08 from 2015 to 2020. According to van Leeuwen et al. (2020), the issue of land disputes in conflict-affected settings was often considered as a security threat, to be addressed through mediation and strengthening the rule of law. This overlooked the roots of land conflicts in longer-term processes of agrarian development and worsening conditions of land and labor access. While dispute resolution may temporarily calm down tensions, it could not be substituted for fundamental political choices vis-a-vis in wider questions of agrarian development and justice. Table 2. Number of Disputes Amicably Settled N = 36 Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 P Indicators F WM F WM F WM F WM F WM F WM Agrarian disputes 1 2.77 6 16.16 4 11.11 5 13.88 3 8.00 51.92 Personal loans/ debts/collection 4 11.11 4 11.11 5 13.88 3 8.33 2 5.55 1 2.77 52.63 Breach of contract 2 5.85 4 11.1 5 13.88 4 11.11 5 13.88 1 2.77 69.54 Husband-wife relation disputes 3 8.33 5 13.88 6 16.66 4 11.11 1 2.77 52.75 Juvenile offenses 3 8.33 7 19.44 2 5.85 3 8.33 4 11.11 48.97 Thefts and robberies 1 2.77 5 13.88 4 11.11 4 11.11 5 13.88 5 13.88 64.45 Sexual cases & Acts of lasciviousness 2 5.85 4 11.11 5 13.88 4 11.11 4 11.11 53.06 Child support issues 8 22.22 1 2.77 2 5.55 1 2.77 33.31 Violence against women and children 5 13.88 2 5..55 3 5.85 13.88 8.33 2 5.85 53.34 Physical violence 4 11.11 7 19.44 2 5.55 3 8.33 4 11.11 55.54 Land border disputes 5 13.88 13.88 2 5.55 3 8.33 2 5.55 1 2.77 49.96 Right of way cases 4 11.11 6 16.66 3 8.33 1 2.77 4 11.11 1 2.77 52.75 Others 6 16.66 3 8.33 5 13.88 4 11.11 1 2.77 52.75 105 International Peer Reviewed Journal As illustrated in Table 2 on the number of disputes amicably settled in the barangay level, the breach of contract had the highest percentage of 53.06 while the issue on child support had the lowest percentage of 51.92. Furthermore, child support is often a major area of disagreement between separating spouses, bogging down proceedings, and causing increasingly hostile negotiations, and the Philippines had created several laws dealing with custody and support of children (Lawyers in the Philippines, 2018). The breach of contract had the highest frequency of 21 or 69.5 percent on the number of disputes amicably settled, while the child support issues had the lowest frequency of 12 or 33.31 percent from 2015 to 2020. According to Le and Nguyen (2010), land disputes were a highly sensitive issue in Vietnam as to government reports, complaints involving land acquisition and compensation made up a high percentage of all complaints to governmental agencies, and significantly, the increase in land disputes had occurred following land reforms that had strengthened land-use rights and public accountability for land administration. In the same manner, right of way cases issues. Table 3. Number of Cases Elevated to the Court N = 36 Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 P Indicators F WM F WM F WM F WM F WM Agrarian disputes 10 27.77 2 5.55 3 8.33 1 2.77 2 5.55 49.97 Personal loans/debts/collection 3 8.33 5 13.88 2 5.55 6 16.66 2.77 47.19 Breach of contract 8 22.22 4 11.11 1 2.77 1 2.77 3 8.33 47.20 Husband-wife relation disputes 5 13.88 1 2.77 5 13.88 2 5.55 6 16.66 52.74 Juvenile offenses 3 8.33 5 13.88 6 16.66 13.88 1 2.77 55.52 Thefts and robberies 2 5.55 4 11.11 6 16.66 2 5.55 1 2.77 4164 Sexual cases & Acts of lasciviousness 12 33.33 4 11.11 8 22.22 9 25 91.66 Child support issues 1 2.77 3 8.33 4 11.11 5 13.88 6 16.66 52.75 Violence against women and children 3 8.33 2 5.55 3 8.33 7 19.44 6 16.66 58.31 Physical violence 4 11.11 5 13.88 7 19.44 2 5.55 5 13.88 63.66 Land border disputes 1 2.77 6 16.66 7 19.44 5 13.88 2 5.55 58.30 Right of way cases 2 5.55 1 2.77 2 5.55 5 13.88 1 2.77 30.52 As shown in Table 3, the sexual cases and acts of lasciviousness had the highest frequency of 33 or 91.66 percent, while the right way disputes with the lowest frequency of 11 or 30.52 percent elevated to the high court from 2015 to 2020. According to Terpstra and Baker (1992), the case characteristics 106 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research were related to the courts’ decisions on the severity of the behavior involved, the presence of witnesses and documents, whether complainants had informed their employers of the harassment before filing charges, and whether the employers had taken action. Indicator A had a frequency of 30 and ranked one on the problems encountered by the members of the committee in their effort to settle the disputes at the barangay level. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, there were different disputes among the residents filed in its effort to settle at the barangay level amicably. Also, there were problems encountered by the Lupong Tagapamayapa in its effort to settle the disputes among the complainants amicably, and there were proposed measures with regards to the effective settlement of the disputes. TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH The findings of the study may be best translated to the various understanding of the importance of effective and efficient implementation of katarungang pangbarangay to amicably settle the common disputes among the residents in the community. LITERATURE CITED Ayer, L., Venkatesh, B., Stewart, R., Mandel, D., Stein, B., & Schoenbaum, M. (2017). Psychological aspects of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict: A systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 18(3), 322-338. Retrieved from https:// doi.org/10.1177/1524838015613774 Bernard, V. (2016). Is It Time for a Peacekeeping Force for ASEAN.  Asia Foundation.” Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3fHmPFt Britannica (2000). Lupo Tagapamayapa. Retrieved from https://www.britannica. com/topic/Lupon-Tagapamayapa Center on International Cooperation (2018). Statement: Development and Security. 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