The Supreme Court, together with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), reaffirmed its commitment towards enhancing access to justice as part of the initiatives under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI).
Speaking at the Inauguration of the IBP-Quezon City (QC) Chapter’s New Legal Aid Center on January 26, 2023, at the QC Hall Complex in Diliman, Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen said: “I can tell you that the leadership of this Court under Chief Justice Gesmundo as well as the collegial work of the Court has put access to justice as an important pillar of the current Strategic Plan.”
“Justice and our fight for what is lawful ultimately reflects our ideals. It must be impartial to our liberties and freedoms. It must be fair and hold fairly those who are accountable. It must treat all of us as equal. Accessibility to justice, in this view, is understood as a
fundamental pillar for any democracy,” Senior Associate Justice Leonen added.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Senior Associate Justice Leonen, Associate Justices Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Ricardo R. Rosario, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Antonio T. Kho, Jr., and Maria Filomena D. Singh joined IBP National President Atty. Burt M. Estrada and IBP Governor for Greater Manila Region and IBP-QC Chapter President Atty. Marcelino Michael I. Atanante IV during the ceremony.
The New Legal Aid Center, located on the fourth floor of the Main Building, Quezon City Justice Hall, is equipped with facilities and equipment for meetings and videoconferencing hearings.
Also present during the Inauguration were Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva, Assistant Court Administrator (ACA) Lilian C. Barribal-Co, and ACA and Public Information Office Chief Atty. Brian Keith F. Hosaka. Among the other IBP officials present were IBP National Director for Legal Aid Atty. Eric C. Alajar and IBP-QC Chapter Vice President Atty. Melissa R. Encanto-Tagarda. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)