Davao Justice Zone dialogue kicks off

No less than Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo led the launching of the Justice Zone Dialogue second leg at the Dusit Hotel in Davao City.

Gesmundo revealed that the Supreme Court Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 will be aligned and will complement the development plans under the Justice Zone Project of the Justice Sector Coordinating Council.

The Supreme Court of the Philippines, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government comprise the JSCC.

Gesmundo said that the second leg of the dialogue provides them with the opportunity to align and to complement the range of various plans such as the Judiciary's SPJI, the respective development plans of the DoJ and DILG, and the new Philippine Development Plan for 2023-2028.

"The imperative and challenge for the Justice Zone is to find its niche in the local development plan of the city, as it has in its hands the dispensation of justice services in this locality," Gesmundo said.

He also stressed that the dialogue "comes at a very favorable time — when the continuing process to further develop and fine tune the coordinative and administrative structures of our justice zones, as well as our communication protocols and reporting mechanisms in relation to the JSCC, the policy-making and senior management body for justice sector coordination."

"As most, if not all of us, are aware, all of the nine justice zones have just completed the latest round of capacity building interventions to improve the planning and development of justice zone-specific projects and initiatives," Gesmundo said.

The Chief Justice added that one of the key areas being addressed by the JSCC is the close coordination of the three principal offices.