Justice Zones earn 97% 'good to excellent' rating nationwide

The Justice Zone model, a flagship initiative of the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC), received overwhelmingly positive feedback, garnering a 97 percent stakeholder rating of “good to excellent,” based on the Governance in Justice (GOJUST) III Program.

Supported by the European Union and implemented by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), GOJUST presented the findings of its Review and Assessment of the Impact of the Justice Zone Model to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh on 29 October.

Justice Zones are designed as “local pockets of efficiency,” where justice sector units within a locality coordinate to ensure the timely delivery of justice.

The assessment showed that 85 percent of stakeholders believe the zones meaningfully contribute to resolving justice issues, while 83 percent confirmed that they help address pressing local justice concerns.

Improvements were noted across multiple stages of case processing, with 66 percent of stakeholders reporting enhanced quality of case filing and trial readiness, and 91 percent finding the workplan process clear and useful. The JSCC’s role in shaping Justice Zone workplans was recognized by 92 percent of respondents.

Concrete outcomes of the initiative include measurable reductions in case backlogs, reported by 66 percent of stakeholders, and improved jail decongestion.

At present, 16 Justice Zones operate nationwide, including specialized zones such as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Justice Zone in Zamboanga, the Tourism Justice Zone in Tagaytay City, the Green Justice Zone in Puerto Princesa City, and the Tri-City Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (Anti-OSAEC) Justice Zone covering Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, and Ozamiz City.

The JSCC is also planning to expand the Anti-OSAEC initiative by launching three additional Justice Zones in Tacloban, Ormoc, and Calbayog in Region VIII, further strengthening local coordination and access to justice.