The Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 approved a resolution on June 24, 2026, urging the Supreme Court to fast-track the construction of a permanent, disaster-resilient judicial complex at the South Road Properties.
Cebu City courts have faced repeated displacements due to the 2013 and 2025 earthquakes, prompting RDC 7 to cite the urgent need for a facility that ensures uninterrupted operations and public access.
Although the Cebu City Government donated a 1.5-hectare site in 2019, construction of the proposed judicial complex has yet to begin despite multiple groundbreaking ceremonies held for the project over the years.
CONSTRUCTION of a permanent Hall of Justice, a building that houses courts and other offices under the judiciary, at the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City could move forward sooner after the Regional Developmental Council (RDC) 7 approved a resolution urging the Supreme Court (SC) to fast-track the long-delayed project.
The request comes after courts in Cebu were forced to relocate twice in nearly 13 years because of damage brought by two earthquakes. For the RDC 7, a permanent, disaster-resilient judicial complex would help keep court services running during emergencies and make legal services easier for the public to access.
The proposal also questions why construction has not yet begun, given that the land was donated years ago and the project has already undergone several groundbreaking ceremonies.
Project approval
The resolution was approved during the RDC 7 second-quarter full council meeting held in Danao City on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
The measure originated from Development Administration Committee (DAC) Resolution 11, Series of 2026, which the committee approved during its June 2 meeting before endorsing it to the full council.
"The repeated displacement highlighted the vulnerability of temporary facilities and underscored the urgent need for a permanent and resilient judicial complex," said Department of Budget and Management 7 Acting Director Maricor Baquial, who serves as DAC co-chairperson.
Why a permanent Hall of Justice is being sought
The committee said recent history has shown how vulnerable temporary court facilities are to major disasters.
The original Palace of Justice at the Capitol compound in uptown Cebu City was damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake on Oct. 15, 2013, forcing courts to transfer operations to the Qimonda IT Center near the city’s port area.
More than a decade later, a magnitude 6.9 offshore earthquake that struck northern Cebu on Sept. 30, 2025, caused structural damage to the Qimonda building, forcing the courts to relocate once again.
According to DAC, these repeated moves disrupted judicial operations and demonstrated the need for a permanent court complex designed to withstand disasters.
Impact on court’s operations and public access
The proposed Hall of Justice would bring courts and other justice-related offices together under one roof. The resolution says this would help ensure uninterrupted court operations, improve coordination among government offices, and make legal services more accessible to the public.
The project also supports the goals of the Central Visayas Regional Development Plan 2023–2028, which identifies improved justice infrastructure as part of efforts to provide faster and more efficient court services.
What has happened so far
The Cebu City Government donated a 1.5-hectare parcel of land at the (SRP) to the SC on Jan. 30, 2019.
However, actual construction has yet to begin despite several groundbreaking ceremonies over the years. The RDC's resolution asks the SC to move the project forward.
A separate rehabilitation project
The proposed SRP Hall of Justice is separate from the rehabilitation of the Marcelo Fernan Palace of Justice at the Capitol Compound.
In May, the Provincial Government said it had allocated P150 million this year for the initial phase of restoring the building, which has remained unused since it was damaged in the 2013 earthquake.
The rehabilitation project is estimated to cost between P200 million and P400 million. Once completed, the restored building is intended to house the Court of Appeals and help reduce office congestion within the Capitol.
The Provincial Legal Office is also working on a new management arrangement with the Department of Justice, which originally built the facility on provincial land.
The RDC's resolution now awaits action from the Supreme Court, which will decide on the next steps for the proposed permanent Hall of Justice at the SRP. / CDF