Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo
MANILA, Philippines — Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on New Year’s Eve said that the Supreme Court will welcome 2024 humbled and with renewed hope.
Gesmundo noted that while New Year celebrations are usually associated with second chances, it is in fact about continuity.
“We build on the past, learn from mistakes, and live with the consequences of past actions. For the past cannot be erased; it is part of who we are: the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, the successes and the failures,” the Chief Justice said.
He further likened the transition of one year to the next to a “chapter in a voluminous book” that is still being written.
“In this new chapter we embrace change, take on new challenges, and welcome growth,” Gesmundo explained.
He added that 2024 marks the third year of the Judiciary’s technology-driven reforms as part of its Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI), which he has called a success.
The SPJI was released in October 2022 and has since then become the high court’s framework for reforms which include the use of technology to address issues such as case backlogs.
“The past two years have seen the SPJI come to life, laying the building blocks on which we aim to continue our pursuit of an efficient, innovative, and accessible Judiciary,” Gesmundo said.
“We thus welcome 2024 with renewed hope, humbled by lessons and gains from previous years, and ready to do what needs to be done to sustain the SPJI’s success,” Gesmundo added.
The Chief Justice concluded his message wishing Filipinos the same success in 2024.