SC, IBP reaffirm commitment to enhancing access to courts

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court and Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing access to justice as part of the SC’s reform program for the judiciary.

SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said accessibility to justice remains a fundamental pillar for any democracy, and stressed that the SC would be pushing for solutions to address unequal access to justice.

“Justice and our fight for what is lawful ultimately reflect 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 equals. Accessibility to justice, in this view, is understood as a fundamental pillar for any democracy,” Leonen said.

Some of the proposed solutions to the inequality problem in justice access are not making legal aid mandatory, not making legal aid under the umbrella of just one organization, addressing corruption, giving room for policy research in clinical legal education and making law schools add more room to make law students advocates and critical thinkers.

“I can tell you that the leadership of this court under Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo as well as the collegial work of the court has put access to justice as an important pillar of the current strategic plan,” he said.