The wheels of justice are expected to move faster after the House Justice panel approved 60 new regional trial courts (RTC) and seven municipal trial courts (MTC) across the country this week.

Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. of Iloilo City, chairman of the House Committee on Justice, noted that the additional courts would serve public interest in the long term.

Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada 3rd of Quezon province, for his part, cited that legislating more courts is in accordance with the Constitutional provision that it is the duty of the district representative to ensure that there is an ample number of courts in his district so as to ensure his constituents’ access to the justice system.

Reps. Roberto Puno and Romeo Acop of Antipolo City argued that the additional courts provide relief, considering that the combined caseload of the eight existing RTCs in Antipolo City is 10,415 or with an average of 1,302 per branch.

The ideal caseload of an RTC branch is in the range of 300 to 400 cases.

Aside from the additional courts, the House Justice panel approved House Bill No. 6570, which grants Survivorship benefits to the surviving legitimate spouse of a deceased retired member of the Office of the Solicitor General, a measure authored by Tupas, chairman of the Justice panel.