SC, U.S. launch court info program

By: Cristina Lee-Pisco Journal online
THE United States Embassy in Manila and the Supreme Court of the Philippines have launched the $650,000 information system program to make the court more efficient in handling cases, ease congestion of cases and reduce case management delays.

A statement from the United States Embassy said the amount allocated for the program includes the cost of developing the software, building the information structure, computer equipment, technical assistance and training for the justices and court personnel.

U.S. Ambassador to Manila Kirstie Kenney and Chief Justice Reynato Puno led senior officials of the Philippine judiciary and other U.S. representatives in the program’s launching the other day at the Supreme Court.

The Case Management Information System (CMIS), designed in partnership between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Supreme Court, is an automated system that will allow the courts and their officials to closely and effectively monitor and manage cases pending in their dockets.

Kenney said the program would help strengthen the judiciary’s management information system processes and capacities by ensuring accurate, up-to-date, and adequate information that is useful in court management and oversight monitoring, policy and planning, and evaluation.

The Ambassador turned over 50 computers and related equipment such as scanners, computer-aided transcription machines, and servers as part of the CMIS program.

“CMIS is a tool that on its own will not solve the problem of docket congestion and case delay, but it is a good tool that, if maintained, will certainly provide greater efficiency to the judiciary’s management information system,” Kenney said.

“This is a great example of U.S. and Philippine partnership, but there must be a strong commitment from the court leadership to ensure the success of computerization,” she added.