MANILA — Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro on Monday formally bade farewell to her colleagues at the Supreme Court (SC).
“I tried my best so that my presence will be most felt not only by the employees of the court but also of our judges and justice nationwide,” de Castro said in her speech during her last flag ceremony at the High Court.
“I will miss all of you. I will miss everyone with whom I’ve worked in the course of 10 years and eight months here,” she added.
De Castro’s 45-year career in government will end on Wednesday as she reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.
She holds the distinction of being the first female top magistrate of the High Court following the ouster of Ma. Lourdes Sereno.
De Castro is also the Chief Justice with the shortest stint, having served for only two months.
Under de Castro’s term, the court increased the monthly salary of first-level court judges all over the country.
She also ordered the implementation of the SC’s administrative order that increased the salary grade of judges in municipal trial courts, municipal circuit trial courts, municipal trial courts in cities and shari’a circuit courts, in one of the several judicial reforms implemented under the brief term in the top judicial post.
From salary grade 26 and 27, the judges in lower courts was increased to salary grade 28 through a resolution issued by the High Court last Sept. 11.
De Castro also pushed for additional cost of living allowance for justices, judges, officials and employees for the month of August – chargeable to the 80-percent judiciary development fund – as well as additional grant of rice subsidy allowance for first and second quarters of this year.
De Castro also filled the key vacancies in the SC that were long vacant during the tenure of Sereno. (Benjamin Pulta/PNA)
