Innovation in the time of tremendous uncertainty

Congratulations to the 2,103 successful applicants to the 2019 Bar examinations, and to their loved ones, law professors and schools! The new lawyers start their journey, as advocates of law and justice, in an extraordinary time. It is uncertain how they will take their oath as lawyers and sign the Roll of Attorneys under the current state of national emergency. They may not practice law without complying with the foregoing requirements.

Indeed, no institution, entity or person here and in other parts of the world is left untouched by the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. All have to adapt, innovate and build resiliency, if we are to survive this crisis. The Supreme Court is no exception. 

Apart from closing all the courts and allowing electronic filing of criminal complaint or information and posting of bail, the Supreme Court, through 2020 Bar Examinations Chairperson, Supreme Court Justice Marvic Leonen, announced the deferment of this year’s Bar Examinations to 2021, and the regionalization of the Bar examinations effective next year, to be held in Manila and in addition, Cebu City.

The decentralization of the Bar examinations is a dream come true for many from the provinces for economic and psychological reasons. Kudos to the advocacy of law students and law school deans, many of whom are based in Cebu, and other places in the Visayas and Mindanao, including my brother, former Dean of the University of Cebu College of Law Baldomero Estenzo, as staunch advocates, for this vision to be a reality. 

Other licensure examinations conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission had long been regionalized, thanks to technology. Harnessing its benefits is long overdue. 

It is not easy to imagine how could we cope with the uncertainty arising from the quarantine and pandemic and continue to be connected with family, friends, and colleagues, without innovation through information and communications technology (ICT). 

Non-government organizations had long been using ICT, just like the private sector, to push for their respective advocacy. Social media helps tremendously in raising awareness and action from our citizens. 

The upsurge in the popularity of MS Teams, Zoom as platforms for virtual meetings and online forums attest to their evolving widespread acceptance. 

The COVID-19 crisis has opened the eyes of decision-makers to avail of data and innovate in forming and making decisions. 

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director in Region 11, Fatma Idris, “streamlined the procedures on the issuance of food passes and local transport permits for cargoes” to ensure unhampered delivery of food supply. 

Plaridel, Bulacan set up an online palengke to decongest markets and encourage residents to order goods through its Facebook page.

Some agencies have gone further and invited public participation in the process of policy-making. The Department of the Interior and Local Government had started the practice of sharing draft memorandum circulars in its website for the public to make their comments. It also compiled best practices among local governments as models that can be emulated by local authorities. 

May this mindset of innovation, public participation and transparency continue even after COVID-19./dbs