Bill seeks to make court proceedings available for media and the public

Cagayan de Oro second district responsibility of deciding whether publicizing the proceedings will endanger parties or the court itself.

Representative Rufus Rodriguez filed House Bill 7681 or "Sunshine in the Courtroom Act" that seeks to allow court proceedings to be made available to the public. The bill will enable broadcasting, televising, recording, and taking photos of court sessions while guaranteeing impartial trials for all parties involved. The Supreme Court will be responsible for issuing rules and regulations to implement the proposed bill.

Currently, only Congress proceedings can be aired or recorded by the press in the Philippines. Although reporters can attend court proceedings, they are not allowed to use any gadgets to record or document the trial. They can only rely on handwritten notes or access stenographic notes, which may take some time.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has urged the Catholic faithful to spend their Lenten break reflecting and praying in church instead of heading to the beach. According to Palma, Holy Week is the most solemn period in the Church’s liturgical calendar and it offers the best opportunity to renew one's relationship with God and reflect on the Lord’s sacrifice.

Palma emphasized that people tend to forget the real essence of Holy Week because of their desire to take a vacation. He called on the people to take part in various

Church activities and appreciate God's all-encompassing love, adding that this is the best time to ponder on God’s great love for humanity, which was manifested through suffering and death.

All churches are now open to accommodate the faithful, unlike in 2020 and 2021 when restrictions were in place due to the pandemic. The Holy Week, which started with Palm Sunday, marks the end of the 40-day season of Lent leading to a celebration of Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The proposed bill authorizes judges and justices from various courts, such as the Court of Appeals, the Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Regional Trial Courts, the Metropolitan Trial Court, and the Metropolitan Circuit Court, to allow media access to court proceedings. These judges or justices will have the

In addition, the bill also seeks to provide guidelines on media coverage to ensure the safety of the parties involved and the court's security. An example is the recording or taking photos of privileged communication between clients and lawyers which will be prohibited, and case parties may also request to have their faces or voices obscured in the recording.