The Supreme Court recently disclosed that the rules on the continuous adoption of videoconferencing for court hearings are now being finalized which will result into a faster and cheaper cost of litigation.
SC Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said that the SC Committee on Virtual Hearings and Electronic Testimony is now working on the rules during his speech at the 130th Foundation Day and Law Day celebration of the Philippine Bar Association.
He added that the use of videoconferencing for court proceedings was allowed by the Court at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We promulgated the Guidelines on the Conduct of Videoconferencing, which institutionalized the conduct of virtual hearings and electronic testimony for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic. In line with our efforts towards a technology-driven judiciary, we have decided to allow the conduct of all court proceedings through videoconferencing even after the end of the pandemic," Gesmundo said.
Videoconferencing for court proceedings is part of the SC's Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 and the SPJI institutional blueprint of the court en banc's plans and programs for the delivery of responsive and real-time justice.
Gesmundo urged lawyers to embrace technology in order for the Court to fully implement its programs under the SPJI.
"My hope is that the PBA helps lead the way as we advance these innovations across the entire judiciary. In particular, I hope the PBA can lend its resources, expertise, and networks to raise awareness about the reforms we are pursuing," said the Chief Justice.
Gesmundo also praised PBA's recent relaunched of its website in a bid to capitalize on social media and other technological tools to increase engagement with its members and the general public.
