The year 2023 showed that the Supreme Court had a total case output of 3,711 cases, with a clearance rate of 84 percent and a disposition rate of 21 percent, up from 19 percent the previous year.

Foremost in its rulings that the SC promulgated in 2023 pursuant to its power of adjudication is G.R. No. 244587, Sula v. Comelec, 10 January 2023, in Sula v. Comelec, upholding the inclusion of Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

It held that the Commission on Elections complied with the requirements of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in conducting a plebiscite emphasizing the constitutional mandate of the poll body to guarantee the proper exercise of the right of suffrage which the Court will not interfere with if there is no grave abuse of discretion.

The Court also found that the petitioners failed to substantiate with the necessary evidence their allegations of fraud in the conduct of the plebiscite.

"The mere allegation that the inclusion of Cotabato City in the newly-formed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was not the true intention of the voters of Cotabato City will not persuade this Court to overturn the actions of the Commission on Elections," the Court held.

In G.R. No. 182734, Bayan-Muna Partylist v. GMA, 10 January 2023, the Court declared unconstitutional and void the Tripartite Agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking by and among China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation, and Philippine National Oil Company involving an area in the South China Sea covering 142,886 square kilometers ("Agreement Area").

It said the JSMU is unconstitutional for allowing wholly-owned foreign corporations to participate in the exploration of the country's natural resources without observing the safeguards provided in Section 2, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution.

In San Juan v. People, the Court ruled that Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act (RA 7610), applies to acts covered by the Revised Penal Code.

In ACT Teachers v. Duterte, the Court upheld the constitutionality of RA 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act, which amended RA No. 8424, or the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

The SC also laid down 8-point guidelines for establishing the validity of administrative warrants in Board of Commissioners v. Wenle.

In 8 March 2023 the SC ruled in Republic v. Pryce, that interment services are covered by the 20 percent discount on funeral and burial expenses provided by the Senior Citizens Act and its amending laws.

On the scope of services covered by the subject 20 percent discount on funeral and burial services, the Court said that both RA 9257 and RA 9994, in amending RA 7432, do not provide for an exact definition of the term "funeral and burial services." Notably, the said laws likewise do not limit the scope of the services falling under "funeral and burial services."

This was followed by a 15 March ruling that only registered and licensed architects may prepare, sign, and seal architectural documents as listed under Section 302(4)(a), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Building Code.

The Court held that the Architecture Act impliedly repealed the Civil Engineering Law insofar as it permits civil engineers to prepare, sign, and seal architectural documents.

In G.R. No. 257401, Ong v. Senate, 28 March 2023, the Court held that the Senate committed grave abuse of discretion in issuing contempt and arrest orders against Pharmally resource persons.