JBC opens applications for vacant Supreme Court associate justice post

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has officially opened the application and nomination process for the vacant Associate Justice seat on the 15-member Supreme Court (SC).

The vacancy arose following the appointment of former Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda as the 28th Chief Justice of the Philippines on 6 November 2026.

Zalameda, who joined the high tribunal as its 184th Associate Justice in August 2019, succeeded retired Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo.

His promotion by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. leaves a vacancy in the country’s highest court. Under Article VIII, Section 4(1) of the Philippine Constitution, vacancies in the Supreme Court must be filled within 90 days from the date they occur.

Interested applicants and recommendees must submit their applications online through the JBC Online Registration and Application System (O.R.A.S.) no later than 28 December 2026 at 4:30 p.m.

To streamline the application process, the JBC has set specific administrative guidelines for the selection period. Applicants must complete their online registration and upload all required documents exclusively through the Philippine Judiciary Platform.

Confirmed online submissions will serve as official applications, eliminating the need to submit physical hard copies, the JBC said.

Candidates whose documents are verified as complete and accurate will receive confirmation through their O.R.A.S. dashboards and registered email addresses.

Applicants with existing O.R.A.S. profiles are reminded to update their personal information and credentials before completing their submissions.

The application process comes as the JBC also manages the selection of nominees for other judicial vacancies, including the post to be vacated by Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier upon her mandatory retirement on 16 November 2026.

The full announcement and checklist of application requirements are available on the JBC’s official website.