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Fiscal autonomy act of judicial branch: Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri enjoins his colleagues Tuesday, May 7, 2024, to support the bill that he filed seeking fiscal autonomy for the judicial branch of government. During a public hearing conducted by the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, Zubiri said the Senate aims to recognize the Judiciary as an independent and co-equal branch of government by institutionalizing its fiscal autonomy. He said the Senate understands firsthand the importance of being recognized as a co-equal branch of government, subject to checks and balances under a democratic system. “In this way, the judiciary will be able to function better and more efficiently and deliver justice to our people more effectively, and the only way to do that is to give them that autonomy,” Zubiri said. The Senate President filed Senate Bill No. 1996 otherwise known as the Fiscal Autonomy Act of the Judicial Branch of Government. Under the measure, the budget proposal made by the Judiciary shall be included in the National budget without revisions, without prejudice to the Department of Budget and Management's submission of its proposed revisions if necessary. The bill also proposes that the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice be given the power to realign their budget and create a Judiciary Trust Fund. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)