US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg pays a courtesy call on Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Photo courtesy of Francis Gutierrez , Supreme Court PIO
MANILA, Philippines—Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday said she has been considering pushing for the digitization of all court records following the destruction caused by monster typhoon Yolanda.
The Bulwagan ng Katarungan in Tacloban has been destroyed and the major problem facing the courts is reconstruction of court records. Even the Department of Justice is faced with a problem on how to reconstruct records of cases.
Court operations in typhoon affected areas have resumed. However, Sereno said hearings are being held inside tents while court records are literally being dried under the sun.
“The Court has to start functioning to bring a sense of normalcy,” Sereno said after the courtesy call of the newly appointed US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg pays a courtesy call on Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Photo courtesy of Francis Gutierrez , Supreme Court PIO
During the meeting, Sereno thanked Goldberg for the US government’s assistance in the high court’s reform projects including the Small Claims Court and the Quezon City Hall of Justice E-Court Program.
She also thanked the US government’s help in the court’s relief efforts to the Judiciary officers and members who survived the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Bohol and typhoon Yolanda.
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