Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo rallied employees of the newly inaugurated halls of justice in Palayan City and Bongabon to keep their offices in good order to reflect the kind of justice the judiciary strives to deliver — clean, honest, transparent, and unblemished.

Gesmundo said this as he led the inauguration of two Halls of Justice: The Family Court Branch 7 building in Palayan City and the single-sala Metropolitan Trial Court in Bongabon on 19 March 2024.

“With these new buildings come a new vigor and enthusiasm for work,” Chief Justice Gesmundo declared.

He stressed, “Your dedication to service will add brilliance to these buildings.”

The Halls of Justice stands as monuments to the intergovernmental cooperation among three institutions — the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the provincial government of Nueva Ecija, and the respective city governments of Palayan City and Bongabon.

Palayan City Mayor Viandrei Nicole J. Cuevas, Executive Judge Emelita DC. Miranda-Portillo, and Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva assisted the Chief Justice in cutting the ceremonial ribbon and in unveiling the markers that flanked the courtroom entrance.

The Palayan City Hall of Justice houses the Family Court and provides space for a breastfeeding and diaper changing area, play area, social worker and staff area, child-in-conflict with the law waiting room, and live-link room for child witnesses — all according to the needs of the time and in accordance with the requirements of a Supreme Court Hall of Justice.

The single-sala Metropolitan Trial Court of Bongabon resides in the Hall of Justice. Chief Justice Gesmundo said that “even though there is only one court here, it is as valuable as any court in the entire country. Our success in delivering justice depends on each one of us and is not based on the size of the place or the number of cases or courts in a place.”

Assisting the Chief Justice and Court Administrator Villanueva were Mayor Ricardo I. Padilla and Presiding Judge Cheryl S. Gamalinda-Encinares.

In concluding the twin inaugurations, the Chief Justice acknowledged that there is still much to be done as the Supreme Court continues to face the longstanding issue of delay and inaccessibility to the courts. The goal is not just to ensure that justice is made accessible to all, but also to make justice delivery faster and more affordable.

To achieve this, the court launched its blueprint of action for judicial reform, the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), the cornerstones of which are: Timely and Fair Justice, Transparent and Accountable Justice, Equal and Inclusive Justice, with Technologically Adaptive Management.

Through these, the Court strives to achieve the three target outcomes of efficiency, innovation, and access.