Enhancing the Autonomy, Accountability, and Efficiency of the Judiciary and the Administration of Justice

Philippines 2006 - 2007

DPK and local partner CPRM assisted the Government of the Philippines in the implementation of its 6-year Action Plan for Judicial Reform (APJR) by improving the administration of justice and strengthening judicial autonomy, accountability, and efficiency. The DPK team developed the framework for the National Justice Information System and related information and communication technology support structures; established new administrative and fiscal structures within the judiciary, including a new pilot judicial integrity unit; and developed consensus and a uniform approach to continuing justice sector reform among government and development counterparts. DPK assisted in development of a performance monitoring system that includes benchmarks and indicators to track and monitor progress of the country’s justice reform initiatives, and provided an assessment and recommendations for developing institutional methodologies to track the impact of justice reform on those living in poverty, including their level of access to the justice system.

The DPK team provided expertise to the Supreme Court and judicial leadership in the development and roll-out of case-flow management software into regional pilot areas, and provided relevant training support. DPK conducted an analysis for improvement of the alternative dispute mechanisms currently used by the courts to reduce case back-logs in the areas of small claims and misdemeanors. The team also worked with the judiciary and the National Prosecution Service to create better access to Web-based legal information, advising on the integration of existing information and upgrading of IT infrastructure to simplify public access to current information.