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This file photo shows the seal of the Supreme Court.
Philstar.com / EC Toledo
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has launched an app to address burnout among judges and court employees.
In a statement on Tuesday, June 3, it introduced the "Judicial Burnout Scale app for Filipino judges" to reinforce the judiciary’s commitment to mental health.
“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,” Retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Lopez said in a statement.
The launch was led by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and Lopez, who serve as the chairperson and working vice chairperson, respectively, of the high court’s Governing Council for Mental Health (GCMH).
The app was developed by the Supreme Court’s GCMH as part of the broader SC C.A.R.E.S. (Supreme Court Compassion, Awareness, Education and Save) Program.
The Supreme Court stated the app is based on the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey, which has been carefully modified to fit the Philippine context.
“It 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 high court said.
Also citing the World Health Organization, the Supreme Court said that burnout is a recognized workplace syndrome characterized by exhaustion, mental detachment from work and reduced performance.
“For judges and court staff, burnout can impair judgment, decision-making, and well-being, ultimately threatening the fairness and integrity of the justice system,” the high court said.
The Supreme Court will distribute the app to judges nationwide through a provided link.
Judges can access it by downloading it through Microsoft Power Apps or directly through their mobile browsers.
The court also plans to extend this tool's availability to all court personnel in the future.
