The Supreme Court (SC), in collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Philippines, launched on Monday, Jan. 6, an initiative aimed at modernizing court systems in the country.
The partnership aims to create an electronic verification and case and evidence management system, digitize court records, and train court personnel to implement these advancements.
The project seeks to reduce case backlogs and streamline adjudication processes by leveraging cutting-edge technology.
KOICA, a Korean governmental organization for official developmental assistance, will lead efforts to introduce advanced systems inspired by South Korea’s modern judicial practices.
SC senior associate justice Marvic Leonen gave an overview of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), the SC’s plan of action to address institutional challenges.
Leonen emphasized the need to evolve with the changing times by doing away with outdated systems and moving towards a more efficient, innovative, and accessible judiciary.
“We must prepare ourselves so that we as an institution, can demonstrate our ability to adapt, no matter how daunting or difficult change may seem,” he said.
Leonen likewise noted how the SC’s collaboration with KOICA will strengthen the Philippine Judiciary’s ongoing initiatives to modernize court processes and harness artificial intelligence such as eCourt PH V2.0, CALESA Digital, and the development of voice-to-text applications for trial courts.
South Korea presiding judge Park Byungmin of the shared an AI-generated video presentation showcasing Korea’s use of technology in courts.
The presentation demonstrated innovations such as electronic litigation, judicial information systems, and video trial proceedings, inspiring Philippine court modernization efforts.
From Jan. 6 to 15, KOICA will conduct a preliminary survey in Philippine courts to gather crucial information for the project.
Based on this survey, detailed plans for the systems’ implementation will be outlined. KOICA aims to roll out the project by 2026.
KOICA Philippines country director Kim Eunsub expressed confidence in the partnership, stating that integrating Korea’s advanced information security technologies will help establish a more transparent and efficient judicial system in the Philippines.
