SC Justice Lazaro-Javier Holds Dialogue with Bacolod Judges
September 18, 2023
Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier (center, seated), together with Deputy Court Administrator Jenny Lind R. Aldecoa-Delorino (seated to the right of Justice Lazaro-Javier), pose for posterity with the Bacolod judges after a dialogue held at Delicioso in Bacolod City on September 4, 2023.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, together with Deputy Court Administrator Jenny Lind R. Aldecoa-Delorino, held a dialogue with Bacolod judges at Delicioso in Bacolod City on September 4, 2023, in line with Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo’s thrust to bring the Supreme Court closer to the trial court judges as co-implementors of Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), the Supreme Court’s blueprint for judicial reform.
On behalf of Chief Justice Gesmundo, Justice Lazaro-Javier emphasized to the judges the four guiding principles under the SPJI: (1) timely and fair delivery of justice, (2) transparency and accountability, (3) equality and inclusivity, and (4) technologically adaptive management. She also mentioned the SPJI’s three target outcomes as steered by these guiding principles: Efficiency, Innovation, and Access in the service delivery of the Judiciary.
Justice Lazaro-Javier underscored that the trial court judges are the true backbone of the judiciary, for everything starts with them. Considering that trial court judges are the most burdened with responsibilities and challenges at first instance, she expressed the Chief Justice’s awareness of and appreciation for their ongoing efforts to further initiatives and invest their time, effort, creativity, and imagination in achieving the objectives of the SPJI.
She further noted that most of the judges have become increasingly technology-savvy, with many now using the tools provided by the Supreme Court such as the various applications available on the Philippine Judiciary 365 to aid them in drafting decisions and court orders.
The dialogue also served as an opportunity for the trial court judges to share their concerns on case load management, technological support in their stations, family courts concerns, and the piloting of the e-raffle system in Bacolod, among others. The judges also suggested capacity-building seminars to train them and their staff on the digitization of court records.
Justice Lazaro-Javier assured the judges that their concerns will be promptly brought to the attention of Chief Justice Gesmundo to enable the trial courts to be effective co-implementors of the SPJI.
The dialogue concluded with an expression of commitment from the trial court judges to work hand-in-hand with the Supreme Court for the creation of a more efficient, innovative, and inclusive Judiciary.
