The Tri-City Specialty Justice Zone will be launched by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) in Tacloban, Ormoc, and Calbayog on 5 November 2025 at Summit Hotel, Tacloban City; Sabin Resort Hotel, Ormoc City; and Calbayog City Sports Center, Calbayog City, respectively.

The activity aims to strengthen justice sector coordination in addressing Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Material (CSAEM) in Eastern Visayas.

It will be the seventh Specialty Justice Zone, following the launch in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Ozamiz in September 2024.

This is one of the JSCC’s flagship programs aimed at promoting localized and multi-sectoral coordination among justice sector stakeholders, enabling the JSCC to focus its efforts on addressing specific challenges within targeted areas.

The launch follows a rigorous assessment conducted by the JSCC Technical Working Group on Processes and Capacity Building (TWG-PCB).

The three cities have successfully met the criteria set under the Justice Zone Components, which require at least 40 inter-agency coordinative reforms spanning the entire criminal justice process, from case initiation to adjudication and post-judgment actions.

To assess the feasibility of establishing the Tri-City Specialty Zone in Eastern Visayas, preparatory activities included stakeholders’ orientation and consultation, development planning workshops, and the accomplishment of the Justice Zone checklist to determine readiness and commitment among local justice sector agencies.

Established through a Joint Declaration on April 30, 2010, the JSCC is a collaborative body composed of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Its institutionalization under Chapter 13 of the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening peace, security, and the rule of law.

With the newest Tri-City Specialty Justice Zone, the JSCC reinforces its mission to enhance efficiency, responsiveness, and integrity within the justice system, particularly in addressing crimes that disproportionately impact the most vulnerable sectors of society.