LOWER courts have increased the resolution of cases in their sala from 2021 to 2023, according to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.
Gesmundo disclosed this during the 19th National Convention and Election of Officers of the Philippine Association of Court Employees (PACE) held at the Rizal Park Hotel last May 2 where he served as the guest speaker.
Citing data from the Office of the Court Administrator, Gesmundo said first-level courts, from a case disposition rate of 53 percent in 2021, increased this to 60 percent in 2022 and to 61 percent in 2023.
First-level courts include metropolitan trial courts (MeTC), municipal trial courts in cities (MTCC), and municipal circuit trial courts (MCTC).
The MeTCs are the first-level courts in the Metropolitan Manila area while first-level courts in cities outside Metropolitan Manila are referred to as the MTCCs.
MTCs are first-level courts that cover only one municipality, while MCTCs cover multiple municipalities.
Gesmundo said for second-level courts, the case disposition rate for 2023 rose to 42 percent, up from 39 percent in 2022 and 32 percent in 2021.
Second-level courts are the regional trial courts in each judicial region in the country.
The top magistrate explained that the case disposition rate is computed by dividing the total number of decided, resolved, and archived cases by the total number of pending and newly filed cases, multiplied by 100.
With this development, Gesmundo expressed gratitude to court employees who did their job of helping deliver justice.
“You are the first point of contact between our institution and the people who come to us in search of justice. Whatever your rank or position may be, the work that you do, day in and day out, is the best reflection of the kind of justice that we dispense, and of the quality of service that we provide,” Gesmundo said in his speech.
He further thanked the court employees for serving as partners in the SC’s pursuit of reform through the Strategic Olan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI) 2022-2027, including the ongoing nationwide caravan for the pilot implementation of the Office of the Regional Court Manager or ORCM, one of the High Court’s modernization projects under the OCA.
Senior Associate Justice Leonen encouraged the court employees to work hard and be patient despite challenges, as excellence, he added, does not come in an instant.
“Every day while we can, we improve upon ourselves especially since change is upon us, innovation is upon us,” Leonen said as he reminded them of their privileged positions in the Judiciary and advised them to use their positions to “be a louder voice for the oppressed and be a more passionate advocate not just of the rule of law but the rule of justice.”
Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez echoed part of Leonen’s speech as he also expressed appreciation to PACE, especially its officers, with whom he worked with for 12 years when he served as Court Administrator.
