Supreme Court launches app to address burnout among Filipino judges

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Newly retired associate justice Mario Lopez says the tool 'will also guide the Court in designing mental health programs, policy reforms, and interventions that promote our judges’ overall well-being'

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has launched a special application to measure the burnout level of Filipino judges.

On May 30, the High Court launched the Judicial Burnout Scale app for Filipino Judges as part of its Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022 – 2027 (SPJI) or the SC’s five-year plan to improve the judiciary.

According to the SC, the application was developed as part of its SC CARES (Compassion, Awareness, Education, and Save) program.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been addressed successfully. The WHO said this syndrome has three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion/ exhaustion
• Increased mental distance from job or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to job
• Reduced professional efficacy

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and then-associate justice Mario Lopez, vice chairperson of the SC Governing Council for Mental Health, led the launch. Lopez retired from the judiciary on June 4, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

The SC said the application will be available to judges in the country through a link that will be sent by the High Court. Magistrates can either download it through Microsoft Power Apps or access it through a browser.

“This tool not only detects warning signs of burnout; it will also guide the Court in designing mental health programs, policy reforms, and interventions that promote our judges’ overall well-being,” Lopez said. 

According to the High Court, the new application was inspired by the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey — a personality test used to measure personality and temperament, among others but was adapted to apply to the local context.

“It [the app] considers Filipino cultural values like hiya (sense of shame), pakikisama (getting along with others), and malasakit (empathy), which shape how emotions are experienced and expressed,” the SC explained.

In addition, the High Court said the app was made in partnership with clinical psychologists Dr. Arnulfo Lopez, Dr. Antero Rosario Arias Jr., and Dr. Joy Tungol.

A focus group discussion was held with select executive and presiding judges on March 20, followed by a pilot testing on April 13, and a trial run on May 8. After finalizing, the technical working group tested the application prototype on over 300 judges who attended the SC’s regional mental health summit held in Davao City on May 23.

The SC added that it also plans to make the application accessible to other court personnel as well. – Rappler.com