Historical Background
   The AJPP finds its start in 2001 when the Supreme Court (SC) initiated a discussion with the European Commission Delegation to the Philippines on possible European Commission (EC) grant to refund the activities of the Action Program for Judicial Reform (APJR) or parts of it. The APJR is the Supreme Court's commitment to improve the administration of justice in the country.

    Following the said discussion, the Commission sent a team of experts to look at the feasibility of an EC-funded project for the SUpreme Court. In 2003, the European Commission and the Philippine Government approved the Supreme COurt's "Acess to Justice by the Poor" project, one of the six components of the APJR.

    Thereafter, the Project's Financing Agreement was prepared, and was signed on August 2004. The total cost of the Project is estimated at three million four hundred seventy-two thousand three hundred twenty-four in euro (E3,472,324), of which the EC contributed two million seven hundred thirty-one thousand nine hundred twenty in euro (E2,371,920), the the Philippine Government, seven hundred forty thousand four hundred four euro (E740,404), financial and in kind contributions included.

    The European Technical Assistance Team (ETAT) was hired at once. Subsequently, the Initial Action Plan and Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Local Technical Assistance (LTA) were produced.

    However, on January 19, 2005, the Office of the Court posed a constitutionality issue on the position of the Supreme Court as executing authority of the AJPP on the ground that the activities to be undertaken were within the authority of the executive. As a consequence, the Supreme Court resolved to relieve itself of its responsibility as lead agency for the entire project. The project implementation was temporarily suspended while a replacement was being negotiated by the Philippine Government with the EC.

    Upon consultation with other institutions, the Goverment of the Philippines proposed to the EC Delegation that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall be a new executing authority or implementing agency for the AJPP. In May 16, 2006, the EC Headquarters approved the replacement.

    The Project resumed in June 2006 through a workshop that brought together all partner agencies and the EC Delegation to finalize the Overall WOrk Plan and Budget which basically scaled down the original Term of Reference to ensure a realistic and feasible proposal in terms of target areas, activities, beneficiaries and budget.