A newly appointed Supreme Court (SC) justice is pushing to translate landmark court decisions into Filipino to make jurisprudence more accessible to the public and uphold the Constitution.

Associate Justice Raul B. Villanueva, who was sworn in as the 195th member of the SC on June 10, 2025, announced his intent to render his decisions (or ponencias) in Filipino during his first flag ceremony at the SC Courtyard in Manila on June 16.

Villanueva emphasized that using Filipino in judicial decisions would promote public understanding of the law and reaffirm the judiciary’s duty to serve all sectors of society, regardless of background or status. 

“In faithful obedience to the Constitution, which declares Filipino as the national language, I intend to translate my ponencias into Filipino to highlight key rulings and doctrines,” he said, addressing fellow justices and court officials.

Appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Justice Villanueva is the first SC justice selected under the current administration. 

In his address, he reiterated his commitment to deliver “genuine justice in the most expeditious manner” without fear or favor. 

“I aim to serve genuine justice… providing doctrines that will not only enrich jurisprudence that will guide the Bench and the Bar, but will judiciously settle actual controversies or prevent any grave abuse of discretion,” he said.

Prior to his appointment, Justice Villanueva served for over two decades in the judiciary, most recently as Court Administrator from 2022 to 2025. 

He was previously Deputy Court Administrator and a regional trial court judge, and is credited with leading administrative reforms that improved case disposition rates and streamlined court operations.

Justice Villanueva also expressed gratitude to his family and the officials of the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), commending their work as the OCA marks its 50th anniversary. 

Moreover, he assured continued support for judicial reforms and efficiency efforts.

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