Justice Japar B. Dimaampao, Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan, Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Pasay City Mayor Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano, Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines Luc Veron, Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Clarissa Singh-Vergeire, Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, Justice Rodil V. Zalameda, Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez, and Retired Chief Justice Teresita J. Leonardo-de Castro pose for posterity with the officers and members of the Philippine Women Judges Association on March 21, 2023 at Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.
“The SC is committed to give all the support it can to our magistrates, women and men, so they may develop coping mechanisms, improve personal development skills, and realize their full potential, as the Court moves towards greater speed, efficiency, and innovation in its operations and processes.”
Thus, said Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, speaking before over 600 women judges from all over the country during the 28th National Convention-Seminar of the Philippine Women Judges Association (PWJA), held in Pasay City.
The Chief Justice led the Supreme Court in expressing its full support for women magistrates, stating, ““You, our women justices and judges, have exhibited efficiency and resilience in your work, during the pandemic, under uncertain circumstances and challenging conditions. The Judiciary would do well to support and recognize your accomplishments for both women and men to emulate.”
Chief Justice Gesmundo also stressed the importance in looking after the mental health of judges and court personnel. “Cognizant of the important role that mental health plays in our lives, whether at home, school, or workplace, the Supreme Court, as part of its reform agenda, the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 or SPJI, will institutionalize a health insurance system for officials and employees. Free or subsidized annual physical and mental health examinations will be mandated. Mental Health Units will also be established in all court levels in our judicial regions around the country. Work was already underway on these reforms and in October of last year, we had convened the Supreme Court Governing Council on Mental Health, and launched the SC Mental Health Unit and Mental Health Helpline a few months after.”
The Chief Justice added, “We need to recognize that taking care of mental health is not a luxury, but a necessity for all individuals. This means providing resources to help our judges manage their mental health, whether through counselling services, mindfulness training, or other forms of support.”
Chief Justice Gesmundo also underscored the need to address the systemic issues that contribute to mental health challenges for women judges, including “gender biases that still exist in the legal profession and ensuring that women have equal opportunities for advancement and leadership positions.”
The Chief Justice then shared the initiatives of the Court in response to these challenges. “We had approved our first ever organic Guidelines for the Use of Gender-Fair Language and Courtroom Etiquette in the Judiciary. We have also approved the Study on Feminism in Philippine Jurisprudence, which seeks to make a qualitative analysis of gender themes and philosophies, as well as any gap and inconsistency, in local precedents. This will help greatly in identifying points for re-study and reconstruction, and inform our way forward in adjudicating gender-related issues. In addition, we reconstituted and strengthened our Committee on Decorum and Investigation of Sexual Harassment Cases, or CODI, in all levels of our courts and in all administrative offices.”
Joining the Chief Justice were Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier who is also the President of the PWJA, Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Justice Rodil V. Zalameda, Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan, Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez, and Justice Japar B. Dimaampao. Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, who is also the PWJA Executive Vice President, gave a recorded presentation on feminism in the judiciary.
Justice Lazaro-Javier, who officially opened the PWJA’s first in-person Convention since the pandemic, explained the reason for the Convention’s theme: PWJA: Kumusta Ka? (How are you?) The Mental Well-Being of Women Judges as a Key to Efficiency and Resilience. “We were not made invincible by the title we carry. Justices and judges, while great exemplars of society, are also human beings, who at times, themselves seek relief. Indeed, we are pillars of strength, but no pillar alone held the weight of an entire building.”
Justice Lazaro-Javier added in her address to her fellow women magistrates, “Never hesitate to ask for help. Remember that you are a member of a loving and supporting sisterhood, your very own personal angels always ready to help. As women, let us never forget our own strength, especially in dire and dark moments. Remember that women are powerful. We are transformative. We wield the power to turn all things bad into good. With us, anxiety, stress, and pressure could simply be other names for desire, drive, and ambition.”
Speaking as a special guest, Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Clarissa Singh-Vergeire also gave insights on the Convention’s focus on women’s mental health. Said Undersecretary Vergeire: “We as women have to perform balancing acts such as making sure that, as leaders, we are likable enough to be personable but not too likable lest we be seen as not competent enough for our jobs. I am sure that many of us had, at some point, felt the need to conceal our unique needs as women in our workplaces – be it about periods, pregnancy, or motherhood – in worry that we may appear softer or less adept than our male counterparts… All these burdens add to the stress and fatigue that women in leadership experience. Gender-related issues, stereotypes, and unfair societal expectations do not only take a toll on our mental health but our entire well-being.”
Other special guests at the Convention were His Excellency, Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines Luc Veron and Pasay City Mayor Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano.
The Convention also served as a venue for the election of new PWJA officers. Justices Lazaro-Javier and Singh were re-elected as President and Executive Vice President, respectively. Other elected officers were Court of Appeals Justice Tita Marilyn Payoyo-Villordon, Sandiganbayan Justice Geraldine Faith Econg, Court of Tax Appeals Justice Ma. Belen Ringpis-Liban, Judge Josefina Eco-Siscar, Judge Ma. Theresa O. Basilio, Judge Ma. Victoria Q. Padilla, Judge Percyveranda Dc. Abdon, Judge Rosalyn D. Mislos-Loja, Justice Mary Charlene V. Hernandez-Azura, Judge Anne Beatrice Aguana-Balmaceda, and Judge Rebecca Guillen-Ubaña. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)