Justice Mario Lopez: Judicial System Plays Crucial Role in Economic Growth
August 9, 2023
Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez speaks before the Filipino Community of Guam (FCG) at the FCG Independence Ball held on August 5, 2023 at the Dusit Thani Resort, Tumon, Guam. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Philippine Consulate General in Guam)
A well-functioning justice system can provide a stable environment crucial to investments and economic growth.
Thus said Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez before the Filipino Community of Guam (FCG) as guest of honor and keynote speaker at the FCG Independence Ball held on August 5, 2023 at the Dusit Thani Resort, Tumon, Guam. The event is in commemoration of the 125th Philippine Independence Day Celebration on the island of Guam.
Justice Lopez, who once served as hearing officer in the Supervision and Examination Sector of the Central Bank of the Philippines prior to joining the Bench, highlighted how justice and development are strongly interrelated and mutually reinforcing. Thus, with this in mind, the Supreme Court formulated the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), the Court’s blueprint for judicial reforms. The SPJI seeks to ensure a well-functioning justice system in the Philippines, which will then lead to stability, more investments, and economic development, said the Justice.
Justice Lopez added that the SPJI is “a framework dedicated to promoting the best interests of the litigants, the Bench, the Bar, court officials, personnel, and all stakeholders in the country’s justice system. It is a holistic strategic plan to achieve efficiency, innovation, and access.”
“Part of the judicial innovations are the streamlining of the court systems, judiciary-wide organizational review and restructuring, and shift to automated platforms using secure technologies,” said Justice Lopez.
Justice Lopez also shared some of the projects implemented by the Court under the SPJI, specifically those helpful to Filipinos abroad: electronic filing of pleadings and online payment, video conference hearings, and remote or online authentication and notarization, among others.
The FCG is the 69-year old umbrella organization of Filipino community organizations on the island recognized by the Guam government. It holds the annual FCG Independence Ball every June, but the 2023 celebration originally scheduled last June 10 had to be rescheduled to August 5 after Typhoon Mawar hit Guam.
On August 4, 2023, a day before the FCG Independence Ball, Justice Lopez paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Guam, Hon. Lourdes “Lou” Aflague Leon Guerrero. Governor Guerrero, a registered nurse, is the ninth Governor of Guam and is the first female governor of the U.S. Territory. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez and Filipino Community of Guam (FCG) President Patrick S. Luces smile for the camera during the FCG Independence Ball held on August 5, 2023 at the Dusit Thani Resort, Tumon, Guam. Justice Lopez was the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the said event. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Philippine Consulate General in Guam)
Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez (fourth from left) pose for posterity while holding the token of appreciation presented to him by the Filipino Community of Guam (FCG) officers led by FCG President Patrick S. Luces (fifth from left) during the FCG Independence Ball held on August 5, 2023 at the Dusit Thani Resort, Tumon, Guam. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Philippine Consulate General in Guam)
Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Guam, Hon. Lourdes “Lou” Aflague Leon Guerrero on August 4, 2023. Governor Guerrero, a registered nurse, is the ninth Governor of Guam and is the first female governor of the U.S. Territory. (Photos courtesy of the Office of the Philippine Consulate General in Guam)