Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo said that “through hard work and dedication” of judiciary officials, court personnel and all justice system stakeholders, “the justice that has eluded many, most especially the marginalized and underserved sectors, will soon be at arm’s reach.”
This was the Chief Justice’s assessment of the gains achieved for the past two years under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI), a five-year reform program for the judiciary launched by the Supreme Court (SC) in October 2022.
The gains for the first two years were assessed by the SC and judiciary system stakeholders in a meeting on Monday, Oct. 21, at the Manila Hotel.
The SPJI is the SC’s plan of action to address institutional challenges using four guiding principles: the judiciary’s delivery of justice will be timely and fair, transparent and accountable, equal and inclusive, and technology adaptive. Steered by these guiding principles, the SC said it targets three major outcomes – efficiency, innovation, and access.
On efficiency, Gesmundo said that the SC set up the Operational Process Management Team to analyze the improve the processes toward the goal of efficiently delivering key services that are customer-centric.
For the trial courts, he said, the Office of the Regional Court Manager (ORCM) has been set up in six pilot regions to unburden judges of administrative work so they can concentrate in the adjudication of cases.
The well-being of judges, officers, and personnel has also been a top priority with the launch of the first judiciary-wide Mental Health Summit in Metro Manila, the Chief Justice said.
To exact accountability and responsibility of lawyers, judiciary members, and court personnel, the SPJI had promulgated the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) for lawyers, and conducted caravans to finalize the Code of Judicial Conduct and Code of Conduct for Court Personnel for issuance by the second quarter of 2025, he said.
Also, under the SPJI, a technical working group has been formed to review the processes of the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) to address gaps and improve its performance and operations, he also said.
“We are hoping to create a program design that will strengthen the JIB’s capacity, particularly in encouraging and receiving complaints from the public,” he added.
In his speech, Chief Justice Gesmundo said that “the judiciary-wide implementation of the Data Privacy Act is in progress and the appointment of a permanent data officer with the draft of the Data Privacy Handbook will hopefully be ready for approval by December this year.”
To ensure the safety of judiciary members, personnel, and property, the guidelines for the formation of the Judiciary Marshals Office under Republic Act No. 11691 is in progress, he said.
On the target outcome of innovation and access, Chief Justice Gesmundo said:
“The SC is developing an Enterprise Network Infrastructure for the Judiciary to support the Judiciary’s quest to transform our adjudicative and administrative processes digitally. This network infrastructure will ensure network interoperability so that court officials and employees can work more productively, using modern digital applications.
“The establishment of a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) in line with industry standards and best practices for the Judiciary is currently on-going.
“One of the most impactful technologies being integrated into our daily lives is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the SC is capitalizing on AI-enabled tools to enhance court performance, notably in voice to text transcription and legal research.
“Pilot testing of AI software, SCRIPTIX, for court stenographers (voice-to-text) has been on-going in select first- and second-level courts. With a cost-effective measure, we hope to address the shortage in court stenographers.
“On the other hand, several offices of the SC are likewise testing the use of AI-enabled platforms to optimize legal research. This will decrease the time spent on preliminary research and allow more time for analysis.
“The SC has taken steps to redevelop the eCourt System with functionalities that will benefit not only litigants, but also judicial personnel. eCourt 2.0 will be implemented in six components beginning with the digital filing and service of all pleadings and court orders in civil cases, to the installation of digital case dashboards in all trial courts and the digitization of case records and rollos in pending cases, up to digital filing and service before the Supreme Court and appellate court, to the digital appeals process and criminal and special proceedings.
“Pursuant to the Guidelines on Submission of Electronic Copies of Pleadings and Other Court Submissions Being Filed Before the Lower Courts Pursuant to the Efficient Use of Paper Rule to address docket congestion, trial courts, starting Sept. 1, 2024, shall only act upon pleadings and other court submissions in civil cases when the filing is accompanied by an electronic transmittal of the same document in PDF format through email.
“Development of a Judiciary MIS Operations Manual to support the daily MIS operations, including the day-to-day ICT operations, is in progress. The operations manual will cover the Management Information Systems (MIS) units of not only the SC, but also the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Court of Tax Appeals.
“A middleware platform has been created to revitalize the National Justice Information System (NJIS), a flagship project under the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC). The NJIS will enable swift sharing of accurate information among the various criminal justice stakeholders so that we all act with a heightened degree of resolve and speed in administering justice in the country.
“Apart from these, other projects in the works are the creation of the judiciary cloud infrastructure, digitization of court records, and an HOJ Inventory System, among many others.
“Also in line for development is the integration of blockchain technologies for evidence management, roll of attorneys signing, and eNotarization. This aims to revolutionize evidence handling, the signing of roll of attorneys, and notarization by ensuring secure, tamper-proof and transparent records.
“This integration will not only streamline court processes but also improve public trust in legal documents and transactions by making them more insusceptible to fraud, error, and unauthorized alterations.
“Also in the future is AI-assisted generation of pleadings for pro se litigants. Once again, the Court aims to leverage the power of AI to assist individuals who are representing themselves in court (pro se litigants) in preparing pleadings and other legal documents through the generation of pertinent legal templates for their ready use. This will contribute to improved access to justice, especially for those who cannot afford legal representation.
“Another AI project, the AI-assisted Translation/Interpretation of transcripts of stenographic notes (TSNs) and Judicial Decisions will assist in translating and interpreting TSNs and court decisions into the different native languages of the Philippines, making court processes more accessible to non-native speakers and improving overall comprehension of legal proceedings.
“Finally, the E-verification of court issuances will allow for the electronic verification of court orders, decisions, and other court issued documents, to help ensure the authenticity and validity of court documents, streamline processes, and reduce the risk of fraudulent alterations.
“Significantly, we are continuing our initiatives to revise the Rules of Court to keep them relevant and integrated. Presently, the SC is revising several portions, including those on civil procedure, special proceedings, and criminal procedure, and has also begun drafting new rules on e-Notarization and writ of kalayaan, as well as guidelines on surety bonds.
“Right now, we are conducting regional consultations through consultative caravans on the Proposed Amendments to the Rules on Civil and Criminal Procedures.
“Of particular interest too are the revised rules on Evidence which will adopt the 1997 HCCH Convention, and the Rules on Extradition which will be ready by first quarter of next year.
“The review and compilation of all these rules, including the internal rules of the courts, are likewise in the works, with a target date of
third quarter of next year for its final draft.
“The Court has also taken preliminary steps to review and amend the protective writs of habeas corpus, amparo, and habeas data to make them more responsive to contemporary issues. A technical working group will be convened in the first quarter of 2025 to finalize the amendments before submission to the Court En Banc.
“A new rule, the Rule on the Writ of Kalayaan, is also being proposed to help address the substandard or inadequate conditions of detention centers, jails, prisons, and other confinement facilities. For this, key agencies from the justice sector such as the Bureau of Jail Management, among others, were invited to submit their comments on the initial draft rules on the Writ. The revised draft is now pending with the Court.
“The Court, through the Judiciary Committee on Environment and Sustainability Concerns, has begun efforts to revise the Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases, aiming to reshape and refine the concepts underlying the rules to make them more holistic, with a focus on the rules on the writs of kalikasan and continuing mandamus. In November, the Committee is slated to hold its first-ever Environmental Summit in Palawan that will serve as an avenue for attendees to give feedback on the proposed revised rules.
“The SC has, in its aim to make the Judiciary’s services accessible to all, launched and maintained an online presence both on its website and on social media. This online presence serves to provide the much-needed instructional details and information about the adjudicative and administrative functions of the Court.
“Last June 2024, the Court launched the Judiciary Information and General Support System (JIGSS) on Facebook Messenger, a chatbot that provides instant responses to queries on legal assistance, trial court information, and online payment of court fees.
“The Enhanced Justice on Wheels, now rebranded as Remote Hearing and Equal Access to Law and Justice or REAL JUSTICE program is a means of providing greater physical judicial access to rural communities. Through this initiative, numerous persons deprived of liberty have been released from jail and several cases were resolved in a speedy manner.
“To leverage the use of digital technologies, the Court is currently assessing the program design on an electronic justice on wheels. Last Feb. 29, 2024, the REAL Justice program was inaugurated in Tawi-Tawi.
“Recognizing the lack or insufficiency of legal aid services in some areas or communities, the SC has incorporated in its website a database of some of the free legal aid providers in various judicial regions.
“The current database, which was prepared with the help of The Asia Foundation, sets out the addresses and contact numbers of the local chapters or offices of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), and legal aid clinics. The database will soon be updated and refined to include a referral system.
“The improved database of free legal providers is one of the Judiciary’s commitments under the 6th Philippine Open Government Partnership National Action Plan (2023-2027).
“After we held regional consultations across the country to solicit input and feedback for consideration, the SC En Banc (full court) approved, last August, the Unified Legal Aid Services (ULAS) Rules, which provide the framework for mandatory legal aid service by lawyers.
“The Rules sets the framework by which Covered Lawyers are mandated to provide pro bono legal aid services to qualified beneficiaries across the country to ensure greater access to justice.
“The Supreme Court, in cooperation with GoJUST II, is conducting a study on the institutional review and assessment of the Shari’ah justice system, and just last August, a second Shariah Summit was held in a bid to further integrate Shari’ah law into the Philippine judicial system.
“In all humility, we have accomplished several activities under each of the three target outcomes of SPJI: Efficiency, Access, and Innovation. All these activities and projects are guided by the Four Guiding Principles of SPJI: timely and fair justice, transparent and accountable justice, equal and inclusive justice, and technologically adaptive management.
“I have said this before- the goals under the SPJI, while lofty, are not unattainable. The programs we initiated or plan to initiate were conceived from foresight and experience and while they could not be born except through hard work and dedication, the hope that one day, the justice that has eluded many, most especially the marginalized and underserved sectors, will soon be at arm’s reach, is what inspires us to persevere.
“Again, no undertaking of this consequence can be accomplished alone. So, allow me, on behalf of my colleagues, to express the Court’s gratitude to our judicial officers, our court officials and employees, the members of our Bar, and all the others who have helped us in our endeavor. Truly, it can only be through our concerted efforts that we can accomplish this much.
“And our heartfelt thanks goes to our development partners: European Union Governance in Justice (GoJUST), Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), The Asia Foundation (TAF), and UNODC, and other international agencies and organizations for their invaluable assistance and support.”