Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo highlighted the increasing case disposition rates in Philippine courts during the 19th National Convention and Election of Officers of the Philippine Association of Court Employees.

Data from the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) showed a steady rise in case resolutions for first-level courts, climbing from 53 percent in 2021 to 61 percent in 2023. Second-level courts also saw improvement, with disposition rates rising from 32 percent in 2021 to 42 percent in 2023.

The case disposition rate is calculated by dividing the number of decided, resolved, and archived cases by the total number of pending and newly filed cases, multiplied by 100.

Gesmundo expressed his gratitude to the court employees, calling them the “judiciary’s frontliners.”

“You are the first point of contact between our institution and the people who come to us in search of justice,” he said. “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.”

He commended their role in implementing the Court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027, including the ongoing nationwide caravan promoting the Office of the Regional Court Manager project.

Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen also addressed the convention, encouraging the employees to persevere despite challenges.

“Excellence does not come in an instant,” he said.

Leonen emphasized the importance of their positions within the judiciary, urging them to “be a louder voice for the oppressed and be a more passionate advocate for not just the rule of law but the rule of justice.”