Justice Zones have expanded from seven to 20 over the past five years, widening access to justice services across the country, Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh said Monday.

Singh, who chairs the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) technical working group, reported the gains during the opening of the two-day JSCC Summit at The Manila Hotel in Manila.

She said improvements in case backlogs, jail congestion and the delivery of justice-related services have accompanied the expansion of the Justice Zone model.

“Five years ago, there were only seven Justice Zones in the country. Today, we have 20,” Singh said, noting that 13 new zones had been established during the period.

But Singh said the growth in the number of zones does not tell the entire story, citing results of the 2025 Governance in Justice (GOJUST) assessment of the Justice Zone model.

Based on the assessment, 97 percent of stakeholders surveyed rated the Justice Zone model as good or excellent, while 85 percent said the zones had meaningfully contributed to resolving justice-related issues in their localities.

The assessment also showed that 66 percent of respondents reported measurable reductions in case backlogs, while 61 percent reported improvements in jail decongestion.

Meanwhile, 92 percent of stakeholders recognized the JSCC’s role in shaping Justice Zone workplans, while 72 percent considered the council responsive to their needs.