The Philippine Supreme Court crafted in 2000 its own Action Program for Judicial Reforms (APJR) and has, since then, vigorously implemented various projects aimed at enhancing judicial institutions and improving the delivery of judicial services.

Similarly, countries in the Asia Pacific and elsewhere have also launched their judicial reform initiatives to address basic issues, such as judicial independence, fiscal autonomy, judicial efficiency and effectiveness, and access to justice, among others.

Despite these rich and numerous country-led efforts, there is no regional institutional forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences on judicial reforms. Hence, the Supreme Court of the Philippines is initiating the organization of a network that will facilitate knowledge-sharing and knowledge-management mechanisms among the Justices, judges, and legal practitioners in the Asia-Pacific Region. Towards this end, an International Conference and Showcase on Judicial Reforms will be held on 28-30 November 2005 at Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Philippines.

The theme of the Conference is “Strengthening the Judiciaries of the 21st Century” and shall consist of two (2) parts: (a) Plenary and Parallel Sessions that will facilitate sharing of ideas, experiences, best practices, and reform initiatives that will address such issues as judicial independence, integrity, transparency, accountability, efficiency, and access to justice through platform addresses, open fora and break-out group sessions; and (b) Showcase of judicial reform projects through exhibit booths by invited countries.

All Plenary and Parallel Sessions shall have the following themes:
1st day : Judicial Independence, Accountability, Integrity and Competence
2nd day : Access to Justice
3rd day : Judicial Reform Management, Implementation and Knowledge Sharing

Objectives:
• Facilitate sharing of ideas, experiences, best practices and reform initiatives that address issues on judicial independence, integrity, transparency, accountability, efficiency and access to justice;
• Identify areas of collaboration among Asia Pacific justices, judges and legal institutions to promote judicial and legal reforms; and
• Institutionalize a knowledge-sharing and knowledge management mechanism through the organization of an Asia Pacific Judicial Reform (APJR) Network.

Expected Outputs:
• Presentation and discussion of ideas, experiences, best practices, and reform initiatives;
• Showcase of judicial reform projects on judicial independence, integrity, transparency, accountability, efficiency and access to justice;
• Consensus on areas of collaboration; and
• Organization of the Asia Pacific Judicial Reform (APJR) Network.


Participants:
• Chief Justices and heads of their respective judicial reform programs of selected countries of the Asia Pacific Region;
• Members of the Asia Pacific Judicial Educators Forum (APJEF)
• Development Partners and oversight agencies.

The Manila Declaration for a 21st Century Independent Judiciary

Principles: We re-affirm the core judicial independence and accountability principles enshrined in the universal declaration of human rights, the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Beijing Declaration on Independence of the Judiciary, and recommit ourselves to their speedy and effective implementation.

Demands on the Judiciary: The demands on the judiciary have grown exponentially in recent years. Country, regional and global economic, political and technological trends also demand a 21st century civilization grounded on the rule of law and access to justice for all citizens. We recognize the need for judiciaries in the Asia-Pacific Region to work together more closely to meet these common challenges. We also recognize that integrating technology into the judicial systems can facilitate knowledge sharing and learning, management of dockets, prompt disposition of cases, and better access to courts by all citizens.

Priority: Towards this end, the Chief Justices and participants of this Conference were in unanimous agreement to establish a judicial knowledge and technique sharing network (APJR Network) for all of the Supreme Courts and the judicial community in the Asia-Pacific Region. Unlike any other time in our region's history, almost every country is now embarking in judicial reform. There is much to learn from one another about what to do - and not do - on judicial reform. This necessarily calls for a forum or network for knowledge sharing of judicial reform successes and failures.

Objective: The main objective of the APJR Network is to share knowledge, including lessons learned, problems faced, best practices and potential model reform experiences from the region as well as globally.

Next steps: The Philippine Supreme Court believes in this important mission and is willing to serve as the Regional Secretariat of the APJR Network. The court, under the leadership of Chief Justice Davide, Jr., is very pleased to have served as the host for this Conference, which is the first collaborative step in establishing the APJR Network. Next steps will be undertaken by the Chief Justices of other Asia-Pacific countries who have also committed to this mission and to hosting two working group reform roundtables over the next year. These roundtables will identify areas of high priority collaboration among Asia-Pacific Chief Justices, judges and judicial academies, with a view to examining country experiences that have potential for replication or adaptation in other countries within the region.

Action: We all know that our ability to access, share, and profit from specific judicial reform experiences in different countries will be vital to our individual and collective success.

For All: These workshops, annual conferences, on-going APJR Electronic Dialogue, and the united support of the donor community, will enable us to proceed with a 21st Century Judicial Reform Agenda in a concrete, prioritized, and collaborative manner. We can strive for no less for all of our citizens as well as for future generations.