Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTII CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
``'House Bill No. 9117
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO,
]OCELYN P. TULFO, ERWIN T. TULFO, EDVIC G. YAP, AND ERIC GO YAP
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR TIIE MODERNIZATION OF THE JUDICIARY,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
E}CPLANATORY NOTE
Article VII, Section 1  of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the
judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may
be established by law. Judicial power includes the duty of the courts to settle actual
controversies involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to
deterine the existence of grave abuse of discretion amounting to a lack of excess of
jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the Government.
The  proper  functioning  of  the judiciary  is  imperative  in  its  constitutional
mandate  of upholding the law of the land.  Arnidst the  emerging  demands  and
conditions  of Filipino  society,  it is crucial  to establish a  strong and  independent
judiciary,  and  strengthen  the  processes  that foster  the people's confidence in  the
neutrality, fairness, and very service Of the branch.
This bill recognizes the need to improve court measures, facilities, equipment,
as well as the need for additional funding for the continued provision of enhanced
legal assistance and programs. Hence, it heeds the call to address the pressing need
for the modemization of the judiciary  to ensure a more accessible,  efficient,  and
effective protection of human rights and administration of j.ustice for all citizens.
The  need   to  bolster  the   capacity   of  the  judicial  department  through
infrastructure development which will equip the judiciary with upgraded facilities
and   maintenance;   technological   advancement   which   will   provide   modem
information technology, computers, and computer systems; and human resources
development and protection which will enhance the skills of judicial persormel and
secure their professional growth, is paramount.


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTII CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
•-.S                  _---_-9117
House Bill No.
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO,
|0CELYN P. TULFO, ERWIN T. TULFO, EDVIC G. YAP, AND ERIC G0 YAP
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MODERNIZATION 0F THE JUDICIARY,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS TIIEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted ly the Senate and the House Of Rapresentatives Of the Philippines in Ciengress
assembled:
SEcrl0N 1. Sfrorf ri.fzg. - This Act shall be known as the "Judiciary Modernization
Act of 2023" .
SEC. 2. Dccharflft.o#  a/ Pozjey.  -  It is hereby declared  the policy  of the State to
implement a modernization program for the Judiciary which has, for its end view, its
improvement into a more efficient, rehable, competent, technologically adaptive, and
modemjudicialdepartmentthatgrantseaseofaccessandsecurityoftransactiorsinthe
institution,litigation,andresolutionofcivil,criminal,andspecialproceedingsinorder
to  promote  better  enforcement  of  obligations  with  a  swifter  and  more  accurate
deterrrintion Of genuine conflicts in the interpretation of the law as well as a more
responsive exercise of extraordinary judicial powers vested by the Constitution to the
Judiciary.
SBC. 3.  Components  Of the |ndicidry  Modernization Program  - The |udiciLary
Modernizration Program shall consist of the following components:
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(a) Infrasrfucture Development and Fachity Modernization - The otyectives of this
component are:
1.   Acquisition, titling, and management Of land and other real estate by the
rrational government dedicated exclusively for the construction of structures
wherein each branch of the Regional Trial Court, Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal  Trial  Courts,  and  Municipal  Circuit  Trial  Courts  are  to  be
individually situated, eliminating the need for shared salas, courtrooms, and
other physical spaces between independent branches;
2.   Upgrading,  modemizing,  and  streamlining  of  facilities  dedicated  to  the
support and execution of judicial functions such as - but not limited to -
offices of the court staff, offices of the clerks of court, offices of the sheriff,
offices of the judicial marshals, and private chambers of judges and executive
judges; and
3.   Development, prcx:urement, and management of secure, reliable, and cost-
efficient inforrmtion technology systems that promote ease of transaction,
allow for automation, and ensure integration Of existing systems for case
management and document retrieval essential to or related to the conduct Of
judicial functions.
®) Equipment Upgrading, Acquisition, and Maintenance - The objectives Of this
component are:
1.   Provision  to  all  courts  of  the  most  reliable  and  technologically  modem
internet  and  telephone  connectivity  to  allow  for  attendance  in  remote
hearingsbypartieswhoaredeterminedtoparticipateincourtproreedingsby
the rules set forth by the Supreme Court;
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2.   Acquisition and provision of modem computer or computer systems to allow
for faster  execution of judicial  functions  to  all  relevant persormel  Of the
Judiciary; and
3.   Acquisition of data and inforrmtion technology systems necessary to allow
submission of documents through means of internet connectivity; P7iow.did,
that the data and information technology systems ensure the integrity of data
uponsubmissionandreliabintyofascertainingthefactofreceiptbyallpardes
concerned in the transaction; and
(c)  Persormel  Development,  Welfare,  and  Protection  -  The  oky.ectives  of  this
component  are  the  hiring  of  additional  qualified  persormel,  the  continuous
education  of  all  qualified  employees,  and  the  assurance  of  security  for  all
members of the Judiciary whose lives and physical weH~being are at risk by
malefactors seeking to unjustly harm personnel in the course of performing their
duties.
SEE. 4. Congressioi!Ial |udidary Modendzation Oversight Committee. - There is
herebycreatedtheJudiciaryModemizationOversightCommittee,hereinafterrefeITed
to as the ``Corrmrittee", to morritor and oversee the implementation of the provisions of
this Act. The Committee shall be composed of six (6) members from the House of
Representatives and six (6) members from the Senate with the Chairpersons Of the
Comndttee on Justice of both Houses as Joint Chairpersons. The five (5) other members
from each chamber shall be designated by the Speaker of the House and the Senate
President, respectively, with the minority having at least two (2) representatives from
both Chambers.
SEE. 5. Su:bmission Of the Judiciary Modernization Program. - Within ninety (90|
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Court Administrator, upon approval by the
Chief Justice,andwithnoticetotheDepartmentofJustice(COJ),aftercousultationwith
the executive judges, presiding justices, the Department of Budget and Management
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(DBM),andtheDepartmentofFinance(DOF),shallsubmittheJudiciaryModemization
ProgramtotheCommitteeforitscousideration,whichshallindicatethefonowing:
(a) The number of personnel, inventory, valuation, and useful life of facilities and
equipment currently in use and owned by the Judiciary in the exercise of their
functions;
a) The modemization projects and activities under the program to be undertaken
and  the  corresponding  component  and  otryectives  to  which  the  projects  are
directed to furm;
(c)  The order of priority, the schedule of implementation, and the corresponding
phasesofimplementationofthemodernizationprojeetsandactivities;and
(d) The estimated cost of each modemization project or activity to be undertaken.
SEC.6.Mc¢uso/Proc#reffle#£.-Allotherlawsgoverninggovemmentprocurement
notwithstanding,  the  Judiciary  shall  procure  the  necessary  property  taking  into
consideration the fonowing policies and principles:
(a) The Judiciary  shall give preference to domestic entities that are qualified  to
participate in the prcx:urement activities to be undertaken under this Act;
ap) The  Office  of  the  Coat  Administrator  (CX=A)  shall  determine  the  specific
minum standards for items, equipment, and technology, and information
systems to be submitted for approval of the Chief Justice. The acA shall be
mandated to ensure that the minimum standards set are responsive to the needs
of the Judiciary and shall ensure the usability of an procured items for a period
of more than ten (10) years;
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(c) The Court Administrator, in the implementation of any and all of the provisions
Of this Act, with the approval of the Chief Justice, may enter into multi-year
contracts and other contractual arrangements: Prrfuded, That none of the multi-
year contracts and other contractual arrangements shall be the most favorable
arrangement for the government;
(d) Congress shall, upon the issuance of a multi-year obligafron authority by the
DBM and a certification by the President, make the corresponding appropriation
for the ensuing fiscal year. The CX=A, upon approval of the Chief Justice, shall
issue  implementing  guidelines  that  ensure  cousisteney  with  the  Judiciary
Modernization Program and existing guidelines in the contracting of multi~year
projects; and
(e) The OCA shall  submit to the Judiciary Modernization Oversight Committee
created under this Act, the Secretary of Finance, and the Secretary of Budget and
Management, copies Of all multi-year contracts and other agreements to enable
Congress  to  appropriate  funds.  The  funds  appropriated  for  the  Judiciary
Modernization Program shall be treated by the Court Administrator as a distinct
andseparatebudgetitemfromtheregularappropriafronOfthe]udiciary.
SE!C.7.FundAugmentationfrorntheProvinctaLCity,andMunictpalGovern:rriants
forHaltsOf|usticeandOt:he..StructuresDedica:tedtotheExecwtionOftheDutyOfthe
7wdidflny. - It shall be mandatory for the provincial, city, and municipal governments
to  automatically  allocate  at  least  five  percent  (5%)  of  its  armual  appropriafrons
earmarked for local development projects, sourced from its internal revenue allocation,
as its armual fund augmentation to support priorrty projects and activities of Halls of
Justices and other structures dedicated to the execution of the duty of the Judiciary
embodied in their territorial jurisdiction.
SEC. 8. Pc7i.od a/Jnyzcmenf«tr.o». -The Judiciary Modernization Program shall be
implemented  over  a  period  of  ten  (10)  years.  The  payment  for  amortization  of
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• , . :,gr :-`':I
outstandingmulti-yearcontractobligationsincurredunderthisActmayextendbeyond
such period.
SEC. 9. Ree7!.ezt7. - Within five (5) years after the effectivity of this Act, the Comnrittee
shall conduct a review or evaluation of the accomplishments and effect Of the Judiciary
Modernization Program for the purpose of determining remedial legislation.
SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Reguidtious. - The CX=AL, apon approval of the
Chief of Justice,  shall  promulgate  the  necessary  rules  and  regulations  within one
hundred   twenty   (120)   days   from  the   approval   of  this   Act   for   its   effective
implementation.
SEC.  11.  Sapflmbe.!jty  Chause.   -  If  any  provision  of  this  Act  shall  be  held
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in
full force and effect.
SIC.  12.  RapeflzI.#g Chause  -  All  laws,  executive  orders,  rules,  and  regulations
inconsistent with or contrary to this Act are hereby deemed accordingly repealed or
modified.
SEC. 13. £#ecti.z7!.fry Chause  - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)  days after its
publication  in  the  Official  Gazette  or  in  at  least  two  (2)  newspapers  of  general
circulation.
Approved,
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