The Supreme Court, business and media

VIRTUAL REALITY

- TONY LOPEZ

BizNewsAsia honored, for his judicial reforms, a distinguished public servant from the judiciary at the business magazine's 24th anniversary Nov. 25, 2025, with First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos leading 230 guests lending gravitas and prestige to a memorable event. Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo delivered a remarkable speech on media’s role in today’s society.

The judiciary is the third and probably most important branch of government, considering the times. The Supreme Court is the only agency allowed to legislate without need for Congress. Its dictum has the finality of law and is often unappealable.

The 27th Chief Justice stressed “a bigger picture today, which we cannot ignore.” That is, “In any democracy, a free and principled press is not merely desirable, it is indispensable.” That is why the press “is called the Fourth Estate, it is the fourth unofficial pillar of a democratic way of life. It is ideally the conscience that keeps authority accountable, the voice that amplifies public discourse and the mirror that compels both public and private individuals and institutions to confront reality.”

For 24 years, CJ Gesmundo said, “BizNewsAsia has taken on this role. Your critical analysis and relentless pursuit of facts have made your publication a reliable source of information for our people and spurred national conversation, particularly in the fields of business and economics.”

He explained: “The workings of democracy and the constitutional goal of public good are not only confined to the political sphere. These are not just relevant, but a matter of obligatory interest, to our economic and financial sectors. We should be able to count on the press to inform the public on matters of national economy, or foreign investments, or inflation.