Senator Francis Tolentino and the Supreme Court joined forces and spearheaded the so-called Justice Zone in Tagaytay City for the effective and efficient administration of justice on Wednesday, June 28.
Sen. Francis Tolentino (Senate PRIB Photo)
Tolentino, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, and former mayor of Tagaytay City, said that as a staunch advocate of environmental law, he is optimistic the preservation and maintenance of the city’s environment shall be one of the advocacies of the Tagaytay City Justice Zone. Tagaytay city is one of the top tourist destinations in the country. “The desire for development and modernization shall not in any way result to the abuse and detriment of our ecology. I fervently hope and pray that as an Eco-Tourism Justice Zone, the protection of our mother nature be our utmost priority, for without it, there will be no eco-tourism to start with,” Tolentino said. As the former local chief executive of the host city, Tolentino highlighted Tagaytay’s so-called “Character Program,” which has been shared with many other local government units in the country. “Now even amplified by the establishment of Tagaytay City as justice zone, both these programs – the City of Character and the Justice Zone – endeavor to establish Tagaytay City as healthy, safe, peaceful, growing and just society,” he added. The creation of a Justice Zone is in recognition of the Justice Sector Coordinating Council’s (JSCC) vision of coordinated approach to policy making, planning and operations, which are essential in providing for a coherent and effective sectoral approach to the delivery of justice. Tolentino further said that while it is recognized that the institutions comprising the justice sector are independent and have their respective mandates, the judiciary moves in an environment where “there is an interdependence of functions and a wide range of shared interests crucial to the effective and efficient administration of justice.” The JSCC—composed of the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)— aims to strengthen sector-wide coordination within the justice system. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo also graced the event, along with Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., European Union to the Philippines' Head of Cooperation Christoph Wagner, and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham ‘Bambol’ N. Tolentino.
Sen. Francis Tolentino (Senate PRIB Photo)
Tolentino, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, and former mayor of Tagaytay City, said that as a staunch advocate of environmental law, he is optimistic the preservation and maintenance of the city’s environment shall be one of the advocacies of the Tagaytay City Justice Zone. Tagaytay city is one of the top tourist destinations in the country. “The desire for development and modernization shall not in any way result to the abuse and detriment of our ecology. I fervently hope and pray that as an Eco-Tourism Justice Zone, the protection of our mother nature be our utmost priority, for without it, there will be no eco-tourism to start with,” Tolentino said. As the former local chief executive of the host city, Tolentino highlighted Tagaytay’s so-called “Character Program,” which has been shared with many other local government units in the country. “Now even amplified by the establishment of Tagaytay City as justice zone, both these programs – the City of Character and the Justice Zone – endeavor to establish Tagaytay City as healthy, safe, peaceful, growing and just society,” he added. The creation of a Justice Zone is in recognition of the Justice Sector Coordinating Council’s (JSCC) vision of coordinated approach to policy making, planning and operations, which are essential in providing for a coherent and effective sectoral approach to the delivery of justice. Tolentino further said that while it is recognized that the institutions comprising the justice sector are independent and have their respective mandates, the judiciary moves in an environment where “there is an interdependence of functions and a wide range of shared interests crucial to the effective and efficient administration of justice.” The JSCC—composed of the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)— aims to strengthen sector-wide coordination within the justice system. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo also graced the event, along with Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., European Union to the Philippines' Head of Cooperation Christoph Wagner, and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham ‘Bambol’ N. Tolentino.