The Supreme Court (SC) launched an app called “Judicial Burnout Scale for Filipino Judges” in support of its commitment to mental health on May 30, 2025.
The launch was led by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and SC Associate Justice Mario Lopez, the chairperson and working vice chairperson, respectively, of the SC Governing Council for Mental Health (GCMH), at the SC Session Hall.
Justice Lopez said, “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.”
In its news release on Tuesday, the High Court stated the app was inspired by the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey, which was carefully adapted 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 SC said in their statement.
Also, the Supreme Court cited the World Health Organization, saying that burnout is a workplace syndrome manifested 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 SC said.
The app was developed by the SC GCMH as part of the SC C.A.R.E.S (Supreme Court Compassion, Awareness, Education, and Save) Program.
The app will be distributed to the judges nationwide through a link from the SC. The judges can download it through Microsoft Power Apps or on their mobile browser.
There is also a plan to make the app available to all court employees in the future.