Making court proceedings easier to understand could help Filipinos better know their rights, tell their stories, and take part in the pursuit of justice.

For many Filipinos, entering a courtroom can be an intimidating experience—not only because of the seriousness of the case, but also because of the language used in legal proceedings.

Department of Justice Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato believes that allowing wider use of Filipino in courtrooms could help bridge this gap, making the justice system more accessible to the people it is meant to serve.

His statement comes amid the renewed appeal of the Philippine Trial Lawyers Association (PTLA) for the Supreme Court to allow Filipino in court proceedings nationwide. Dato said the appeal highlights a long-standing disconnect between the language of the law and the people whose lives it affects.

“For many Filipinos, the courtroom can feel like a place where justice is spoken in a foreign tongue,” Dato said. When people struggle to understand what is being said in court, they may have to depend on their lawyers to explain decisions and proceedings that could affect their lives, families, and freedom.

He stressed that understanding the law is not simply a matter of translating words. It is about ensuring that people genuinely comprehend the accusations against them, the evidence presented, and the decisions that could determine their future.

Citing the 1987 Constitution, Dato pointed to the recognition of Filipino as the national language and the government’s responsibility to develop and use it as a medium of official communication. He also cited the Bill of Rights, which guarantees an accused person the right to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against them.

“That right is difficult to fully realize if the explanation is delivered in a language the accused does not truly understand. It is not enough for the words to be translated; they must be naiintindihan,” he said.
Making the Law Easier to Understand
The Judiciary has already taken steps toward greater use of Filipino in legal decisions. In July 2026, the Supreme Court released a 26-page decision in a statutory rape case written entirely in Filipino by Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh. It followed the May 2026 decision in Velarde v. Court of Tax Appeals, which was also written in Filipino.

These developments form part of the Judiciary’s continuing efforts under its Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovation.

Beyond helping people understand court rulings, Dato said the use of Filipino could also help witnesses explain their experiences more naturally. When speaking in a familiar language, witnesses may be better able to describe what they saw, heard, or experienced without first having to translate their thoughts into English.

Filipino-language documents are also already accepted under the Rules of Court without requiring a separate translation.

For ordinary people seeking justice, being able to communicate clearly can make a meaningful difference. It can help them explain their side, follow what is happening in court, and better understand the legal process surrounding their cases.
Respecting the Philippines’ Many Languages
Despite the potential benefits, Dato acknowledged that expanding the use of Filipino in court proceedings would require careful preparation.

Legal terms such as “preponderance of evidence” and the elements of estafa have precise meanings shaped by the country’s legal history. Translating these concepts accurately requires more than replacing English terms with simpler Filipino words. It also calls for continued development of Filipino as a language capable of expressing complex legal principles without losing their meaning.

The country’s linguistic diversity presents another consideration. With more than 170 languages spoken in the Philippines, a shift toward Filipino must also recognize people in the Visayas, Mindanao, and other communities who may be more comfortable speaking Cebuano, Ilocano, or another local language.

For Dato, the broader issue is how the justice system can communicate in a way that people genuinely understand.

“It is a question of whether people can understand the law that governs their lives, the charges brought against them, and the decisions that affect their freedom. If the law is for the people, then its language must reach them, too,” he said.

Ultimately, the discussion goes beyond the language used inside courtrooms. It raises a fundamental question about access to justice: how can people fully understand and participate in a process that may shape their lives if they cannot clearly understand what is being said?

Wider use of Filipino, alongside consideration for the country’s other languages, could be one step toward making the justice system more understandable and accessible to the people it serves.