Supreme Court’s First Judiciary Regional Center breaks ground in New Clark City
The Supreme Court of the Philippines broke ground its First Judiciary Regional Center in New
Clark City today, October 4, 2019. Led by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin and BCDA President and
Chief Executive Officer Vivencio Dizon, the groundbreaking ceremony paves the way for President
Rodrigo Duterte’s vision to build alternative cities to decongest Metro Manila and spur growth in
areas outside of the capital.
The event was also graced by Court of Appeals Acting Presiding Justice Remedios Salazar-
Fernando, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, Court of Tax Appeals
Presiding Justice Roman Del Rosario, Philippine Judicial Academy Justice Adolfo Azcuna, Court
Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, Deputy Court Administrator Leo Madrazo, Socioeconomic
Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, BCDA Director Aristotle Batuhan, BCDA Executive Vice
President Aileen Zosa, and Clark Development Corporation President and CEO Noel Manankil.
In a message, Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin said that New Clark City is “a very promising
location,” because of its proximity to major infrastructures. These include the Subic-Clark-Tarlac
Expressway, the Subic seaport, and the Clark International Airport which will be the country’s next
global gateway.
“We will establish here a fully functioning Supreme Court,” Chief Justice Bersamin said. “We
proposed to build here several buildings, the most important of which would be alternative halls of
justice for when Manila will be hit by [a] disaster,” the Chief Justice added.
“We have not just planned it, we have not just talked about it, we have actually done it,” Dizon
said, citing the progress of the New Clark City Phase 1A which includes the Athletics Stadium,
Aquatics Center, and the Athletes’ Village are ready for this year’s 30th South East Asian Games.
The new sports facilities were built in just 18 months since it broke ground in January 2018.
“I thank the honorable court and the entire judiciary for seeing and joining the President in his
vision: to build a new metropolis. And what better way to kick-start this new city is by beginning
the setting up of government satellite offices from various agencies including the judiciary,” Dizon
said.
A historical marker for the judiciary regional center was unveiled as part of the ceremony.
The 5.8-hectare judiciary regional center which was conceptualized by Chief Justice Bersamin and
Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio will house a data and an archive center for Supreme
Court’s business and historical records, housing facilities, a training center for the Philippine
Judicial Academy, and dedicated areas for the Court of Appeals, the Court of Tax Appeals, the
Sandiganbayan.
The detailed development plan for the judiciary complex is scheduled to be finished this year while
construction is set to start next year.
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Reference:
Leilani Barlongay-Macasaet
AVP for Corporate Communications
+63 908 899 8578