House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez assured the legal community on Friday that the House of Representatives remains a committed partner in evolving the legal system to better meet the needs of the Filipino people.

Speaking to an audience of lawyers and legal professionals, Romualdez underscored the importance of defending the Constitution, upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of the marginalized.

“We have worked to expand legal aid services, to strengthen judicial independence, and to uphold transparency and accountability in governance. But I also know that legislation alone is not enough. The battle for justice is waged not only in Congress or the courts but in every forum where truth must be defended,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez’s remarks came during the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ 20th National Convention of Lawyers in Lahug, Cebu City, with the theme “From Milestones to Horizons: Strengthening the Future of the Legal Profession.”

The Speaker called for a legal profession that transcends profit-driven motives and urged lawyers to serve as guardians of justice for all Filipinos, regardless of their social standing.

“We must ensure that every Filipino, whether rich or poor, educated or unlettered, knows that the law is not the instrument of the powerful, but the protector of the weak. That justice is not a privilege, but a right,” Romualdez said.

He further called on his fellow lawyers to demonstrate courage in defending the law, particularly when confronting inconvenient truths.

“Courage to uphold the Constitution when it is most inconvenient. Courage to speak the truth when silence is the safer path. And courage to stand for justice, not just for the privileged, but for those who cannot afford representation,” he said.

Romualdez also emphasized the changing role of the law in the face of technological advancements, global shifts and a growing apathy toward democracy.

“We live in an era of disruption. Technology is rewriting the rules of commerce, artificial intelligence is reshaping the practice of law, and geopolitical shifts are challenging the very notion of sovereignty and international order,” he said.

He urged the legal profession to remain adaptable and resolute in its commitment to justice.

“The law is only as strong as those who defend it. It is only as just as those who interpret it. And it is only as relevant as those who wield it for the common good,” Romualdez said.