P2.8 B state-of-the-art Manila Hall of Justice to rise soon

An artist’s rendition of the entire project. Image from the Supreme Court PIO

MANILA, Philippines–Seven years after its 8th groundbreaking, the construction for the Manila City Hall of Justice (MCHJ) will soon begin.

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday announced that it has allocated P2.8 billion of its judicial savings for the construction of the Manila Hall of Justice

Acting chief justice Justice Antonio Carpio who was the prime mover in the construction of the MCHJ said it will be constructed at the 10,818 square meter old Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). It will house 120 courtrooms and numerous facilities.

The plan to build a hall of justice in Manila started as early as 1982 but encountered obstacles along the way such as location, budget, strict compliance with the Procurement Act and the National Cultural Heritage Act.

“It is said that great buildings take time to plan and construct. It took the Colosseum of Rome 10 years just to construct, the Parthenon in Greece 17 years, St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican 144 years, St. Basils Cathedral in Moscow 125 years and the Taj Mahal 21 years. We will soon add the Manila Hall of Justice to these illustrious list,” Carpio said in jest. It was Carpio, who was also acting chief justice, who led the eighth groundbreaking in 2012.

Originally, the MCHJ location was supposed to be the 6,470-square meter old Jai-alai building along Taft Avenue but it was then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who issued a proclamation transferring the Arroceros lot (old GSIS building) to the Supreme Court.

At that 2012 groundbreaking seven years ago, I proudly announced that the title to the one hectare Arroceros lot was already in the name of the Supreme Court and P1.83 billion needed to construct the building exclusive of equipment and furnishings was already deposited with Land Bank.

“Surely, I said nothing could stop the expeditious construction of Manila Hall of Justice. I was of course dead wrong. I failed to take into account the formidable Government Procurement Reform Act and the National Cultural Heritage Act. It took the Court 7 years and counting to hurdle these two laws,” said Carpio

Carpio said the detailed architectural and engineering design has been awarded and completed and the Office on Halls of Justices has just completed the terms of reference for the bidding of the actual construction works of the Manila Hall of Justice

“The completed terms of reference will now allow the Court to finally bid out hopefully within the next few months the actually construction of the Manila Hall of Justice,” said Carpio.

SC Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo, chairperson of the SC’s Halls of Justice Coordinating Committee for the City of Manila chairperson, gave credit to Carpio who worked hard for the first self-funded Hall of Justice, that would become the first greenhouse court building in the country.

Carpio reportedly envisioned futuristic courtrooms. “He foresaw the need to implement an electronic court system, to increase transparency and efficiency of the judicial system. He saw the need to implement special laws like the Magna Carta for Women, Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, the National Building Code just to name a few, are all taken in consideration in planning for the judicial first venture into constructing a building by itself,” said Gesmundo.

Currently, the country’s capital has no hall of justice. Unlike the other cities where court houses are in one building, in Manila it is spread out in 3 locations—Manila City Hall, old Ombudsman building, and the former Masagana Complex along Kalaw Street. Retired Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin even said that former Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada already wants the court houses at the City Hall of Manila removed.

Carpio also credited Gesmundo and the Office of the Court Administrator with its head Midas Marquez for pursuing the MCHJ project.

“Mayor Isko Moreno will be happy to know that the Manila HOJ will be the most modern and most beautiful HOJ in the Philippines befitting a HOJ for your capital city of Manila,” Carpio said. /jpv

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