The Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development (Salonga Center) was formally launched by the Silliman University College of Law on August 26, 2006. The Silliman University president and the Board of Trustees attended the event.

The Salonga Center is headed by its Director, Atty. Mikhail L. Maxino, a faculty member of the Silliman University College of Law. He also coordinates the functions and programs of the Environmental Law Desk which is one of the three areas under the Salonga Center. The other two areas are the Social Justice and Human Rights Desk and the Labor Law Desk.

The Salonga Center is administratively under a body composed of the Dean and Faculty of the College of Law, with the Dean acting as the convenor. The Director of the Salonga Center is an ex-officio member of the said body. This body is directly under the Office of the President of the university.

The Salonga Center has already made significant contributions on legal development. On September 16, 2006, the Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, Honorable Artemio V. Panganiban delivered the Salonga Center’s Inaugural Lecture entitled “Access to Justice” at the Luce Auditorium. In his lecture, the Chief Justice discussed the overall directions of the Philippine Supreme Court in the years to come.

The law student volunteers and the faculty director of the Salonga Center offers free lectures and training sessions in barangays and municipalities in Negros Oriental. The Salonga Center labeled this community service project “PAHINUNGOD”, a profound Cebuano all-encompassing term which refers to and embraces the Filipino values and concepts of respect, reverence, courtesy, permission, gift, offering, etc….