DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año urged the City Council of Bacolod to make ordinances to strengthen the communication and collaboration of the local agencies with the regard to the promotion of justice in the city.
Año, who was in Bacolod City on Friday for the launching of the Justice Zone project at the Bacolod Government Center, said he urged the local government units to increase awareness of Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) Justice Zone program and to work with the national government and civil society organizations so that other localities may likewise strive towards becoming Justice Zones by either following the best practices of our already established Justice Zone or innovate their own ways to make their LGUs judicial process more efficient.
The JSCC, jointly headed by the Supreme Court (SC), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the DILG named Bacolod City as a Justice Zone on the basis of JSCC Joint Resolution No. 05-2019 signed on August 15, 2019 at the Principal’s meeting in Manila City.
The launching was led by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, DILG Secretary Año, European Union (EU) Head of Cooperation Enrico Strampelli, and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Bacolod City is the fifth Justice Zone in the Philippines, with the first being Quezon City, which was launched in 2014, followed by Cebu City in 2018. Other Justice Zones include Davao and Angeles, which were both launched in the first half of 2019.
“Your City Hall is probably one of the most photographed local government buildings in the country, but today, you have collectively added more significance to this already iconic building. Ngayon, ang inyong City Hall ay magiging simbolo na rin ng mabilis at maaasahang hustisya,” Año said.
Año also recognized the EU for partnering with the JSCC in advancing the country’s justice system through the GoJust Programme.
“We will also strengthen our efforts to implement the projects and programs of the DOJ and SC in our LGUs nationwide because we believe that by fixing the justice system, we are one step closer to attaining lasting peace and government accountability in the country,” Año said.
He added: “if we are able to deliver justice to even the smallest offence, then we will be able to reach the apex of peace in the country. So let us start by fixing the justice sector one step at a time.”
Justice Zones are areas where local justice sector agencies such as the police, prosecutors, judges, public attorneys, and managers of detentions facilities showed outstanding coordination in identifying and addressing common challenges.