The Philippine Women Judges Association (PWJA) will assess the gains so far achieved in the five-year judicial reforms in the country during their three-day convention at the Manila Hotel starting Wednesday, March 5.
As of Dec. 31, 2024, there are 1,260 women judges in the country’s trial courts aside from the female magistrates in the Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals, Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
Guest of honor in the convention is the Chief Justice of Malaysia, the Right Honorable Tun Tengku Maimunbinti Tuan Mat.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo will deliver the keynote address.
A press briefer issued by the Supreme Court’s (SC) Office of the Spokesperson said the convention will be led by SC Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, PWJA president, and Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, PWJA executive vice president.
Expected to also attend are Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Japar B. Dimaampao, and Jose Midas P. Marquez.
The theme of this year’s convention is “PWJA: Propelling the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations to Greater Heights of Efficiency, Innovation, and Access.”
Reforms in the country’s judiciary are being implemented under the five-year Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI) that was launched in October 2022.
The SPJI is aimed at dispensing justice “efficiently, effectively, and timely.” It is anchored on four core principles—timely and fair justice, transparent and accountable justice, equal and inclusive justice, and technologically adaptive management.
The press briefer stated that the SC justices will discuss major judicial reforms, including the salient features of eCourt PH Version 2.0, the Unified Legal Aid Service, the Guidelines on the Use of Gender-Fair Language in the Judiciary and Gender-Fair Courtroom Etiquette, the Proposed Revised Rules of Procedure in Shari’ah Courts, and the Office of the Judiciary Marshalls.
There will be interactive sessions on various topics such as the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary, and Code of Conduct for Court Personnel.
The interactive sessions will be led by Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Geraldine C. Fiel-Macaraig, and Dean Ma. Soledad Deriquito-Mawis.
One of the convention’s highlights is the “HerStory: Gender Award of Distinction” to honor women judges who have demonstrated exceptional skills and overcome gender-related challenges.
The board of judges in the “HerStory” awards is composed of Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Fayday Maniri Dumarpa and Philippine Commission on Women Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla.
Thereafter, there will be an election of the new PWJA officers and members of the board of directors.
The PWJA was founded in 1987 by then SC Associate Justice Ameurfina A. Melencio-Herrera. The group serves as a platform for women judges to exchange insights, voice concerns, and promote their professional welfare.