President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law Republic Act No. 12304, a landmark measure aimed at improving access to Shari’ah courts for Filipino Muslims through digitalization and enhanced legal support services.

Signed on September 18, the new law amends key provisions of Republic Act No. 9997, also known as the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Act of 2009. It mandates the creation of a digital platform for paperless filing of pleadings and other court submissions, in coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Supreme Court.

“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.

Beyond digitalization, RA 12304 directs the NCMF to assist the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in conducting a comprehensive census of the Filipino Muslim population across all levels of government. The data will include annual reports on births, marriages, and deaths.

The law also strengthens legal support for Muslim communities by empowering the NCMF’s Legal Affairs Bureau to provide legal education and assistance in litigation involving Muslim individuals or interests. The Bureau will serve as the Commission’s legal counsel, investigate internal complaints, and help litigants file pleadings in regions without existing Shari’ah courts.

To ensure transparency and accountability, the NCMF is required to submit an annual report on the implementation of the law to the Senate President, House Speaker, and the respective chairs of the Senate and House committees on Muslim affairs.

The measure is part of the administration’s broader push to promote inclusive governance and ensure equitable access to justice for all sectors of society.