In a statement, the SC said the launching of the e-payment in Quezon City and Makati City was part of the high court’s Action Program for Judicial Reform (APJR).
The SC, through the Committee on Computerization and Library headed by Justice Antonio Carpio, signed a memorandum of agreement with the Land Bank of the Philippines for an e-payment system for the lower courts.
Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, in separate launching ceremonies, expressed their continued support for the SC’s comprehensive judicial reform projects.
The two mayors said the e-payment system is a step towards a more efficient justice system that is easily accessible to the people.
The symbolic launching at the Quezon City Hall of Justice was led by Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, Carpio, Belmonte, Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Natividad Dizon and Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Judge Ma. Filomena Singh.
On the other hand, the launching at the New Makati City Hall building, was led by Panganiban, Carpio, who were joined by Binay, Makati RTC Executive Judge Sixto Marella Jr. and MTC Executive Judge Rowena Quinagoran.
The e-payment system is an automated online assessment and collection system for the lower courts.It was developed by the Land Bank and technically evaluated by the SC’s management information system office (MISO).
The SC said the e-payment would effectively lessen the burden of the Clerks of Court in the assessment of filing fees, collection and issuance of official receipts.
It also expects the e-payment system to facilitate the reconciliation of collections remitted to the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA).
Under the e-payment system, the data provided to the court personnel making the assessment of fees on a case filed would be electronically stored. This would result in a fast, efficient and accurate generation of reports of legal fees collected.