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 Malacañang 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.
“Democracy can only take root when every Filipino is certain that the law is the same for all and that those who create, enforce and interpret these laws do so without fear, without favor and without anyone holding them by the purse strings,” Marcos said.
“Today, through the signing of the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act, we are putting safeguards in place so that the judiciary can work more efficiently and more independently.”
Under the measure, the SC may 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 said the new law would allow funds to be disbursed to the judiciary automatically.
“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, whether that goes to 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, pooling 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.
Marcos said the fund would allow the SC to reorganize offices, hire staff faster and decentralize operations to bring services closer to the people.
“This law further strengthens the commitment of the executive to work alongside the judiciary as a co-equal branch of government,” he said. “We recognize that each of us has a unique role, and yet we also have a shared responsibility to uplift the Filipino people above all.”
Congress ratified the final version of the bill, a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2982 and House Bill No. 11358, on June 11, 2025. (Darryl John Esguerra/PNA)
