Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday signed into law Republic Act 12233, or the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act, a measure defining the scope and extent of the judiciary’s fiscal independence as a co-equal branch of government. The new law, signed in a ceremony in Malaca±ang before lawmakers and Supreme Court (SC) officials and personnel, affirms the constitutional provision that the judiciary’s budget cannot be reduced below the previous year’s allocation and must be automatically and regularly released after congressional approval.
According to Philippines News Agency, the law allows the Supreme Court to submit its original budget proposal directly to Congress, as an attachment to the National Expenditure Program prepared by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which may submit its comments separately. Marcos stated that this would enable funds to be disbursed to the judiciary automatically, ensuring operational efficiency and independence.
Under the new measure, the Chief Justice is authorized to augment any item and modify through en banc resolutions the allotment of funds within the bounds of the law to where they are most needed. This may include hiring more personnel, repairing courtrooms, or advancing their systems to keep up with the times.
The law also establishes a Judiciary Trust Fund to replace the Judiciary Development Fund. This fund pools all legal fees, existing resources, and income from deposits, to be managed by the Chief Justice subject to the Commission on Audit’s post-audit. This financial mechanism is expected to allow the SC to reorganize offices, hire staff faster, and decentralize operations to bring services closer to the people.
Marcos emphasized that the law strengthens the executive’s commitment to work alongside the judiciary as a co-equal branch of government. He noted the shared responsibility of both branches to uplift the Filipino people.
Congress ratified the final version of the bill, a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2982 and House Bill No. 11358, on June 11, 2025.
