“Access to justice is the most important pillar" of the Supreme Court’s (SC) five-year Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI), Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V. F. Leonen said.
During the inauguration of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Quezon City Chapter’s New Legal Aid Center at the Quezon City Justice Hall last Jan. 26, Justice Leonen also said:
“Justice and our fight for what is lawful ultimately reflects our ideals. It must be impartial to our liberties and freedoms. It must be fair and hold fairly those who are accountable. It must treat all of us as equal. Accessibility to justice, in this view, is understood as a fundamental pillar for any democracy.”
The SPJI was launched by the SC in October 2022. Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo said the SPJI is founded on four guiding principles, namely:
1. “The Filipino people deserve a judiciary possessed of competence, integrity, probity, and independence.
2. “The Judiciary must provide equal access to justice real time.
3. “Public confidence in the Judiciary is dependent on transparency and accountability.
4. “Technology must be the platform on which the basic court systems and processes run.”
During the inauguration of the legal aid center, the SC justices and members of the IBP re-affirmed their commitment to enhancing access to justice as part of the initiatives under the SPJI.
The SC’s public information office (PIO) said the legal aid center is located on the fourth floor of the Main Building, Quezon City Justice Hall. It is equipped with facilities and equipment for meetings and video conferencing hearings.
Aside from Gesmundo and Leonen, also present during the inauguration were Associate Justices Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Ricardo R. Rosario, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Antonio T. Kho, Jr., and Maria Filomena D. Singh, and IBP National President Atty. Burt M. Estrada and IBP Governor for Greater Manila Region and IBP-QC Chapter President Atty. Marcelino Michael I. Atanante IV.
Also present during the inauguration were Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva, Assistant Court Administrator Lilian C. Barribal-Co, and Assistant Court Administrator and PIO Chief Atty. Brian Keith F. Hosaka.
Among the other IBP officials present were IBP National Director for Legal Aid Atty. Eric C. Alajar and IBP-QC Chapter Vice President Atty. Melissa R. Encanto-Tagarda.
TAGS: #SC #Justice Leonen # IBP legal aid center # SPJI #CJ Gesmundo