PNoy Appoints First Female Chief Justice in CJ Sereno

President Benigno Aquino III ends days of speculations and appoints the first lady Chief Justice in Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, beating the constitutional deadline of August 27 by which he is required to fill the position vacated by the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona last month.

CJ Sereno would officially assume office today, August 25 and becomes the second youngest head of judiciary in history aside from being the first female Chief Justice. And she would be poised to serve the longest term for a Philippine Chief Justice.

While President Aquino had previously expressed his disappointment to the list of nominees submitted by the Judicial Bar Council, his selection of Sereno appears to be astute and well-received by the public. Sereno is a lawyer-academician who had a long and stellar career teaching International Trade Law and Commercial Laws in U.P. and among international schools of law and economics. Being gained a degree in economics, CJ Sereno does forte seem to be in commercial and trade laws. And to be sure, she would be so keen with economic issues.

President Pnoy himself was an Economics graduate from the same school she had earned her degree, at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADZU). And with both having almost the same age, they would have had been colleagues from way back in their Ateneo days. Or they could have been classmates before.

All in all, she exemplifies excellence in terms of education and professional career achievements. She should be most qualified and most able especially that as our nation pushes forward towards economic progress, our courts may be encountering series of economic and trade issues and CJ Sereno would just be so well-prepared to meet with these challenges.

And for that, Pnoy has made the right choice. Maybe not the best – but she should be a good choice.