00:00The President may now proceed to sign the enrolled copy.
00:12Upon signing the harmonized version of Senate Bill No. 2982 and the House Bill No. 11358,
00:19it shall be known as Republic Act No. 12233, entitled
00:24An Act Defining the Scope and Extend of the Fiscal Autonomy of the Judicial Branch of the Government and for other purposes.
00:32This measure aims to affirm the fiscal autonomy of the judiciary as enshrined in the Constitution
00:38and to strengthen its power as a co-equal branch of the government.
00:42Thank you, Mr. President.
00:45Speaker of the House, Ferdinand Martin-Romaldes, the Honourable Members of the House of Representatives,
00:51Chief Justice Alexander Gasmundo, and the Honourable Associate Justices of the Supreme Court,
00:58fellow workers in government, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.
01:02A warm welcome to Malacanang Palace,
01:05and it is truly nice to see all three branches of government under one roof,
01:11working together to strengthen our country's democracy and democratic processes.
01:15democracy can only take root when every Filipino is certain that the law is the same for all,
01:23and that those who create, enforce, and interpret these laws do so without fear, without favor,
01:29and without anyone holding them by the purse strings.
01:34Today, through the signing of the Judicial Fiscal Autonomy Act,
01:37we are putting safeguards in place so that the judiciary can work more efficiently and more independently.
01:43Our Constitution already mandates the judiciary shall enjoy fiscal autonomy.
01:49Appropriations for the judiciary may not be reduced by the legislature below the amount appropriated for the previous year,
01:57and after approval shall be automatically and regularly released.
02:02And this is why we continue to help the judiciary become secure in its resources
02:07and perform its duty to serve our people without any delay.
02:11Under this law, the proposed budget of the judiciary will go straight to Congress
02:17and shall be included in the national budget exactly as submitted.
02:22Every month, funds will be released automatically.
02:26The Chief Justice is authorized to augment any item and modify through unbanked resolutions
02:31the allotment of funds within the bounds of the law to where they are most needed,
02:37whether that goes to hiring more personnel, repairing courtrooms, advancing their systems to keep up with their times.
02:44In turn, the Supreme Court will report quarterly to the executive and legislative branches
02:49on how these funds are judiciously spent.
02:52This is how we promote transparency and accountability.
02:56This is how we do checks and balances.
03:00This is how democracy works, by respecting the role each branch plays,
03:05while exercising our duty to ensure that no branch acts beyond what the Constitution allows.
03:12We are also establishing a judiciary trust fund,
03:16so the courts can tap their collected funds to address urgent needs.
03:20The Supreme Court can reorganize its offices, hire staff faster,
03:25and bring services closer to the people by decentralizing operations.
03:29Higit sa lahat, ang batas na ito ay para sa taong bayan.
03:35Kapag may sapat na pondo at malinaw na patakaran sa paggamit nito,
03:39magagawa ng hudikatura ng mas mabuti ang kanilang sinumpang tungkulin.
03:44Ang bawat kasong nakahain sa mga korte ay mapapakinggan at madidesisyonan
03:51ng walang takot at walang alinlanan.
03:54Kaakibat nito, matutugunan ng hukuman ang hinahing ng taong bayan
04:00na dumudulog sa kanila at matutulungan silang isulong ang kanilang mga karapatan.
04:07Mabibigyan din sila ng pagkakataon makamtan ang kalayaan, kapayapaan, at justisya.
04:14This law further strengthens the commitment of the executive to work alongside the judiciary
04:20as a co-equal branch of government.
04:22We recognize that each of us has a unique role,
04:27and yet we also have a shared responsibility to uplift Filipino people.
04:34Above all, let us always remember that even our smallest decisions
04:38can shape the lives of very many people and the future of the nation.
04:44This administration is committed to respecting the autonomy and authority of the Supreme Court
04:49as it discharges its constitutional duty to interpret the highest law of the land.
04:55This commitment thus calls on us to stay true to our constitution,
04:59to champion integrity and fairness, and implement laws with prudence and foresight.
05:04I would like to take this opportunity to convey our deepest gratitude to the legislature
05:09for passing this very significant law.
05:12As we build a more progressive Bagong Pilipinas that has ensured that the rights of our people
05:17remain secure and that every Filipino lives with peace, with dignity, with pride.
05:23Araming salamat sa inyong lahat at mabuhay ang hudikatura, mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas.
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