In the Philippines, IDLO works with the government, civil society and justice professionals to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in the disposition of cases, expand access to quality free or affordable legal services, improve the prosecution of criminal cases, ensure gender-responsive justice services, and strengthen the rule of law to advance peace and sustainable development.
The Philippines joined IDLO in 1989 as one of its founding Member Parties and hosted IDLO’s Asia Regional Training Office from 1996-2001.
Since 2016, IDLO has been providing technical support to the Government of the Philippines by assisting the advancement of its institutions, beginning with the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman.
In more recent years, IDLO has worked with the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Supreme Court’s Philippine Judicial Academy and the Philippine Commission on Women.
The Philippines has come a long way in combating money laundering over the past decade, making significant progress on reforming its legal and regulatory framework and addressing deficiencies, but it still experiences substantial challenges in dealing with the complex, transnational issues posed by money laundering.
As countries seek to make progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16, there is growing recognition that it is essential to work with both state and non-state justice systems to strengthen the rule of law and effectively prevent and resolve conflicts.
Prosecutors play a key role in keeping criminals off the streets. But in the Philippines, day-to-day challenges can significantly hamper their work. A severe shortage of staff has resulted in a heavy workload for existing prosecutors, with individuals spread thinly across multiple courts.
The Philippines’ Office of the Ombudsman commemorated its 30 years of existence during a Joint Forum with IDLO in Manila on May 8, 2018. The Forum occurred as IDLO celebrates its 30th anniversary as an intergovernmental organization this year, marking a mutually significant occasion for both institutions.
Joint Forum – Why Our Work Matters? Revisiting Institutional Efforts on Justice and Integrity
The realization of justice depends on respect for institutions and the rule of law. By adhering to well-defined legislation, impartial rulings can facilitate a fair, efficient and accountable delivery of justice.
With rapidly growing economic and social sectors, the improvement of its justice system is key to the Philippines securing the status of a newly developed country. IDLO has been implementing a program in the Philippines to enhance the competency of prosecutors with a view to increasing the successful disposition of cases against public officials and efficiently addressing corruption.
To mark the successful conclusion of a project aimed at enhancing the capacity of prosecutors in the Philippines, 113 lawyers of the Office of the Ombudsman came together with members of the international community for a symposium in Manila on integrity and anti-corruption initiatives.
The criminal justice system in the Philippines experiences poor coordination among agencies, particularly police and prosecutors. Currently, there is a shortage of prosecutors to take criminal cases to trial in the Department of Justice (DOJ), and many of those who serve on behalf of the people require support in order to perform their duties with a high level of necessary knowledge, skills and ethics.
On November 7th and 8th in Manila, IDLO launched its new program in the Philippines with signing ceremonies at the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice. The ceremonies officially marked the opening of two initial projects in the country.
