Choosing the next Chief Justice

The appointment of the next Chief Justice deserves attention beyond the legal profession because judicial leadership affects every Filipino who needs the courts. For a worker contesting an illegal dismissal, a family settling an estate, or a businessman enforcing a contract, justice requires sound decisions delivered within a reasonable time.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo is scheduled to retire on 6 November, and the next worthy successor will have gigantic shoes to fill. The Judicial and Bar Council has shortlisted Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Rodil Zalameda, Japar Dimaampao and Jose Midas Marquez. The choice must consider independence, integrity, sound judgment and the ability to administer courts nationwide.

CJ Gesmundo’s term has established a substantial foundation for modernization through the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022–2027. Its objectives of efficiency, innovation and access have translated into concrete reforms addressing how documents are filed, legal transactions are completed and assistance reaches those unable to afford a lawyer. These initiatives reflect the Supreme Court’s collective work under his leadership.

Mandatory electronic filing and service in civil cases before first- and second-level courts took effect on 1 December 2024. This shift reduces dependence on physical submissions, travel and paper records, although dependable systems and support remain essential. Modernization must make compliance easier for lawyers and litigants rather than introduce another procedural obstacle.

The Court also approved electronic notarization rules in 2025, allowing electronic documents to be notarized through accredited facilities, including remote appearances subject to safeguards. Subsequent arrangements with the Land Registration Authority and Securities and Exchange Commission supported their acceptance in government transactions. These reforms can make legal services more accessible while preserving document authenticity and identity verification.

Equally significant is the Unified Legal Aid Service, or ULAS, requiring covered lawyers to provide at least 60 hours of pro bono legal aid every three years, subject to its rules. It places access to justice alongside technological reform, recognizing that efficient courts remain beyond reach when people cannot obtain legal assistance.

The President now has nominees who are all equally qualified. Among the accomplished nominees, Justice Marquez brings almost 12 years of experience as Court Administrator before his appointment to the Supreme Court in 2021. That administrative background is relevant to sustaining reforms across the Judiciary.

Justice Zalameda’s experience spans service as a branch clerk of court, private practitioner, prosecutor and appellate justice before joining the Supreme Court in 2019. His proposed approach of establishing baselines, testing reforms and expanding those that demonstrate results could support continuity under CJ Gesmundo’s program, and this approach merits examination against the practical needs of court users and personnel.

Whoever is appointed must preserve judicial independence and sustain reforms beyond changes in leadership. CJ Gesmundo’s initiatives should be strengthened through careful implementation, with success measured by timely decisions, accessible services and public trust. Kudos to CJ Gesmundo. All hail the Chief!

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