September 26, 2025
MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law Republic Act No. 12304, which aims to provide Filipino Muslims equitable access to Shari’ah courts by digitalizing court processes and strengthening legal support services.
Signed on September 18, the measure amends several provisions of RA 9997, also known as the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Act of 2009.
It tasks the Department of Information and Communications Technology, in coordination with the Supreme Court, with creating a digital platform for the paperless filing of pleadings and other court submissions.
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“The Commission shall facilitate the paperless filing of pleadings and other court submissions. The Commission shall respect the right to privacy of the parties concerned and shall not retain any copy of the digital documents referred to herein,” the law states.
RA 12304 also mandates the NCMF to assist the Philippine Statistics Authority in conducting a census of the Filipino Muslim population.
The NCMF’s Legal Affairs Bureau is likewise directed to provide Filipino Muslims with legal education and assistance in cases of litigation involving their persons or interests.