Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier voiced her hope that someday, women in the legal profession will be recognized for their merit and contributions rather than judged by stereotypes.

Lazaro-Javier expressed this on the opening day of the Philippine Women Judges Association (PWJA)’s 31st Annual Convention at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental on March 5, 2026.

Lazaro-Javier, PWJA President, said: “I hope you can craft a world where women are praised for being resilient because they chose to be, and not because the circumstances forced them; where women do not need to overcompensate and overexplain; where they are judged not by expectation or stereotype but by their character, competence, and contributions.”

She noted that despite progress in women's rights, many women continue to face challenges.

“Women are taught to be strong, to take up space, often working twice as hard to be seen as an equal of their counterparts," she said in a press statement of the Office of the Spokesperson of the Supreme Court.

"[T]o this day, there remain to be laws that uphold the inequality between men and women, there are still pay gaps in many industries, we have only just begun to prioritize representation and diversity and to reeducate people against stereotypes and normalized gender roles,” she said.

WOMEN JUDGES CONVENTION

Meanwhile, the theme of the women judges convention was "Safeguarding Justice, Empowering the Nation: The Role of Women in Defending Democracy."

Almost 700 judges, court officials, and members of the legal community from across the Philippines participated in the three-day gathering.

Lazaro-Javier spoke of the unique role of women magistrates in promoting fairness,

empathy, and integrity in the justice system.

She said women judges can draw from their own experiences to help others who are struggling.

Lazaro-Javier said women judges will likely encounter litigants or colleagues who will question their competence, label them as emotional or weak, or treat them with hostility simply for being women.

“It is that familiarity with the struggle that has made us sensitive to the struggles of others. We see the dignity in every person not because they have earned it, but simply because they exist," she said.

"Every time we choose fairness, uphold the rule of law despite mounting pressures, and every

time we hold ourselves accountable to act with integrity, in a manner consistent with the conduct expected of those sitting on the bench, we protect the Judiciary and preserve the people’s faith in justice," she added.

Aside from Lazaro-Javier, those who participated in the convention included Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and SC Associate Justices Henri Jean Paul Inting, Rodil Zalameda, Samuel Gaerlan, Jhosep Lopez, Jose Midas Marquez, Antonio Kho, Jr., and Maria Filomena Singh.

Retired Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and retired Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe also attended the convention.

Chief Justice Gesmundo, in his keynote address, said studies show that women judges now outnumber men in the trial courts.

“This serves as clear proof that the exercise of judicial power is defined not by gender, but by competence, integrity, and fidelity to the law,” he said.

"Women judges serve not only as guardians of the rule of law but also as pillars of institutional strength,” he said, adding that their perspectives, “shaped by experience, discipline, and insight, enrich judicial deliberation and reinforce the fair and faithful application of the law.”

-Paraluman News