Press Release
June 13, 2008

KIKO: JELACC APPROVES P3B ADDITIONAL JUDICIARY BUDGET NEXT YEAR

The Judicial, Executive and Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JELACC) held its second meeting at the Supreme Court yesterday and agreed to increase the budget of the Judiciary next year, to meet one percent of the national budget in 2009, Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today said.

"The budget of the judiciary has never reached one percent of the General Appropriations Act (GAA). The increase in next year's budget is unprecedented. From the current budget of 10 Billion pesos, we are allocating an additional 3 Billion pesos for the Judiciary next year. This amount will be used to address the urgent needs of the Judiciary, which includes construction and renovation of the Halls of Justice. Congress has passed several pieces of legislation creating new courts in the provinces to expedite the dispensation of justice. However, the judiciary does not have the funds to construct these new courts. It is a basic problem that we are trying to resolve. We have to construct our courts because right now what we have are undermanned courts clogged with cases, contributing more to the slow administration of justice. How can our judges dispense cases if they do not have courts?" Kiko said.

The assignment of improving the judiciary and helping the judiciary become more efficient to some extent lies in the legislative and executive branches. The JELAC is composed of the three branches of government. Its creation is based on the commitment of each branch of government to work for the strengthening of the Philippine judicial system through judicial reforms, and help preserve its integrity and safeguard its fairness in the administration of justice.

"Unang hakbang ito para maisaayos sa lalong madaling panahon ang mga kinakailangang reporma sa ating hudikatura at ang pagkaka-apruba ng karagdagang badyet sa susunod na taon ay nangangahulugan lamang na mas bubuti ang serbisyo para sa taongbayan." Kiko ended.

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