House lawmakers back higher budget for DOJ, Judiciary

Department of Justice (DOJ) facade. PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK

MANILA, Philippines — House lawmakers have backed calls for a higher budget for the Judiciary and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In a statement, appropriations panel head and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co said he supports the Judiciary’s proposed P82.4-billion budget for 2025, so that this branch of government can implement reforms.

Based on the 2025 National Expenditures Program (NEP), the Judiciary was given a P63.56-billion budget — a slight increase from 2024’s P60.17-billion allocation, but significantly lower than what they proposed.

“(I recognize) the judiciary’s strategic plan for judicial innovations as a crucial step towards resolving these issues. The plan includes creating a Supreme Court management committee, digitizing judiciary libraries, and adopting new regulations to enhance efficiency,” Co said on Thursday.

“The proposed budget will support these initiatives and other reforms aimed at improving leadership, promoting gender-fair language, and upholding human dignity within the judiciary,” he added.

On Thursday, Court Administrator Raul Villanueva asked for the inclusion of public-private partnerships in the Supreme Court’s allocated budget, as it includes major infrastructure projects.

“We’re asking for the inclusion because it is not included in the NEP Special provisions, the provision on public-private partnership for major infrastructure projects and/or procurements,” he said.

READ: SC seeks PPP inclusion in 2025 budget to fast-track infra, ICT projects

Co urged fellow lawmakers to approve the higher budget, as it is “a crucial investment in creating a more efficient, innovative, and accessible justice system for all Filipinos.”

Meanwhile, the DOJ’s request for a higher budget also got support from several lawmakers, after the Judiciary and the DOJ’s proposed allocations were discussed at the House committee on appropriations hearing on Thursday.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the DOJ found it difficult to implement the witness protection program due to a lack of funds.

Decongesting the National Bilibid Prison — which is under the management of the Bureau of Corrections, a DOJ-attached agency — as well as other important tasks also require additional funding.

“That’s the problem. Our funds decreased but the amount of work we do increased,” Remulla said.

“The DOJ needs equipment. One example of that is the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children) cases, they need equipment so that we can monitor and make logs, and to apprehend who should be apprehended.  We will farm out to the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) our problems like this.  That’s why we are asking for increases to our original proposed budget,” he added.

Appropriations vice chair and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon said it is important to support the DOJ as it is crucial to the government’s goal of having a just and fair society.

“The DOJ is not merely an institution, it is the embodiment of our collective aspirations for a just, fair, and equitable society. It is the guardian of the rule of law, the protector of our rights and the sentinel against lawlessness and disorder,” he said.

“The DOJ’s mission and vision are not just words on a page, they are solemn commitment to uphold justice, to ensure that every Filipino regardless of status or circumstance can trust in a system that is fair and impartial,” he added.

Bongalon also said the DOJ must continue with its achievements, having posted an 89.55 percent success rate in prosecution and 93.95 percent in the resolution of criminal cases.

“These numbers do not represent merely statistics, they represent countless hours of hard work, dedication and an unwavering commitment to justice, they reflect the DOJ’s pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of our legal system and its capacity to deliver swift and effective justice for all, however, to continue its noble mission the DOJ requires our support,” Bongalon said.