The Supreme Court (SC) has opened a nationwide design competition for a new official seal to represent all first- and second-level courts across the country.

The contest, approved by the SC En Banc under A.M. No. 25-04-06-SC (Re: Designs for Seals for the First and Second Level Courts), seeks to establish a unified and meaningful seal that reflects the identity of lower courts and distinguishes them from other courts in the Judiciary.

First-level courts include the Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Municipal Trial Court, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, and Shari’ah Circuit Court. Second-level courts cover the Regional Trial Court, Family Court, and Shari’ah District Court.

The winning design will be adopted as the official seal used across courtrooms, signage, documents, and ID cards of judges and court personnel. The winner will also receive a cash prize of P100,000.00.

The competition is open to all individuals, with each participant allowed to submit only one entry. Participants must also affirm that their design is an original creation.

Designs must incorporate the official Supreme Court seal, the color violet, and clearly show the type of court represented (e.g., Regional Trial Court or Metropolitan Trial Court). A brief write-up of no more than 300 words must accompany each entry, explaining the design’s meaning and elements.

A panel of representatives from the Judiciary will judge the entries based on the following criteria: relevance to the Judiciary (40%), originality and creativity (30%), visual impact and clarity (20%), and overall impact (10%).

Entries must be submitted via email to sealdesign@judiciary.gov.ph with the subject line: Court Seal Design Entry – [Your Full Name]. The submission period runs from 15 July to 15 August.