OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR FRANCIS “KIKO” PANGILINAN
JUDICIARY 2026 BUDGET (AS DELIVERED)
19 NOV 2025 (WED) | SENATE SESSION HALL
THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU MAJORITY LEADER, (AND) DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES,
MAGANDANG ARAW PO.
IT IS FULL CIRCLE FOR THIS REPRESENTATION AS VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE J THAT WILL BE DEFENDING AND SPONSORING THE JUDICIARY BUDGET. FULL CIRCLE BECAUSE I DEFENDED THE JUDICIARY BUDGET 24 YEARS AGO IN 2001 WHEN A MEMBER OF MY STAFF HERE WAS IN 2ND GRADE.
NARITO PO TAYO NGAYON UPANG IHARAP ANG BUDGET NG JUDICIARY, NA MAY KABUUANG HALAGA NA ₱67,766,560,000, BROKEN DOWN AS FOLLOWS:
PASENSYA NA PO KUNG AKO’Y NAGKAKAMALI SA NUMERO DAHIL SA TANANG BUHAY KO WALA PA AKONG NAKIKITANG GANITONG KALAKING PERA. MALAKI PONG HALAGA.
SA PAMAMAGITAN NG PANUKALANG BUDGET NG JUDICIARY, INAASAHAN NATIN ANG PAGPAPALAKAS, PAGTUTULUNGAN AT PAGBIBIGAY NG MAAGAP AT KONSTRUKTIBONG PAGTUGON NG ATING MGA KORTE SA MGA MAHIGPIT NA ISYU NA KINAKAHARAP NG ATING BANSA.
PERO KAHIT MAY PONDO, ANG PATULOY NA HAMON NG ATING JUSTICE SYSTEM AY HINDI MAIKAKAILA: BACKLOG NG MGA KASO NA NAGDUDULOT NG PAGKAANTALA NG HUSTISYA, KAKULANGAN NG TAUHAN SA MGA KORTE.
ANG LAYUNIN NATIN AY SIGURADUHIN NA SAPAT ANG PONDONG IBIBIGAY PERO TIYAKING MAY MALINAW NA RESULTA AT EPEKTO SA PAGRESOLBA NG MGA KASO SA LALONG MADALING PANAHON.
BAGAMA’T RESPONSIBILIDAD NG BUONG PAMAHALAAN ANG MABUTING PAMAMAHALA AT PANANAGUTAN, MALAKING BAHAGI NITO ANG PASAN NG HUDIKATURA.
THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS RETAINED MOST ITEMS IN THE NEP AND GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL, BUT WE STRENGTHENED THE BUDGET WHERE IT MATTERS MOST.
DINAGDAGAN NATIN ANG BUDGET NG OFFICE OF THE JUDICIARY MARSHALS. UNDER R.A. 11691, THE JUDICIARY MARSHALS ARE ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING JUDGES, PERSONNEL, AND JUDICIAL ASSETS. THE ADDITIONAL 160 MILLION PESOS ALLOWS A PHASED, ACCOUNTABLE ROLLOUT, ALIGNED WITH ACTUAL OPERATIONAL NEEDS.
NAGDAGDAG DIN TAYO NG 39 MILLION PESOS PARA UNIFIED LEGAL AID SERVICE OFFICE (ULASO) WHICH EXPANDS LEGAL AID ACCESS TO INCLUDE COUNSELING, REPRESENTATION, AND PUBLIC LEGAL EDUCATION. ESPECIALLY FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. PINAPALAKAS NITO ANG TUNGKULIN NG HUDIKATURA SA SALIGANG BATAS NA SIGURUHIN NA MAY PATAS NA ACCESS SA HUSTISYA ANG LAHAT – LALO NA ANG MGA MAHIHIRAP.
NAGLAAN DIN TAYO PARA SA JUSTICE SECTOR CONVERGENCE PROGRAM. PARA NAMAN MAKARATING NA ANG HUSTISYA SA TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. THIS ENABLES NATIONWIDE E-FILING AND E-SERVICE, DIGITAL WARRANTS, SUBPOENAS, AND ORDERS, AND SECURE INTEGRATION WITH D.O.J., D.I.L.G., AND OTHER AGENCIES VIA THE NATIONAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM. KUNG WALA ITO, MANANATILING ANALOG ANG HUSTISYA SAMANTALANG DIGITAL SPEED NAMAN ANG TAKBO NG KRIMEN AT KORAPSYON.
ANG BUDGET PARA SA FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE IN COURTS AY NAKALAAN PARA SA TRAINING, ACCREDITATION, AT INTERPRETATION SERVICES. MAKAKATULONG ITONG MABIGYAN NG DUE PROCESS ANG MGA TAONG MAY COMMUNICATION DISABILITIES. TULAD NG MGA NAUNANG DAGDAG-PONDO, BAHAGI ITO NG PAGTUPAD NG JUDICIARY SA KANILANG TUNGKULING GAWING ABOT-KAMAY ANG HUSTISYA PARA SA LAHAT KASAMA ANG MAY KAPANSANAN.
HINDI LUHO ANG MGA NASABING BUDGET ITEM. THESE ARE MEANINGFUL INVESTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
NGAYON, DEDEPENSAHAN NATIN ANG BUDGET. HINDI LANG PARA SA INSTITUSYON, PERO PARA SA BUONG SAMBAYANAN.
IN THE BUDGET HEARING OF THE JUDICIARY, MR. PRESIDENT, WHICH COINCIDED WITH THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON THE FLOOD CONTROL SCANDAL, I PLACE ON RECORD, THAT WHILE THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE WAS BEING MONITORED BY OUR CITIZENS WITH EAGLE EYES, IN THE END WHATEVER IS HEARD IN THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE EVENTUALLY WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE JUDICIARY – WHERE THE SENTENCING, OR THE TRIAL, OR THE ARRAIGNMENT, AND HOPEFULLY THE ACCOUNTABILITY WILL BE ACHIEVED NOT IN DECADES OR MANY YEARS BUT SWIFTLY AS MANDATED BY THE CONSTITUTION.
MR. PRESIDENT THIS REPRESENTATION, TOGETHER WITH MY STAFF, LBRMO, AND THE JUDICIARY FAMILY, ARE READY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.