29/04/2026
RA 9285 · ADR ACT OF 2004
22 Years of Collaborative Dispute Resolution, 22 Years of Uplifting Public Service
In a gathering with practitioners, we remember RA 9285 and the legacy of Prof. Annabelle Tecson-Abaya
On April 2, 2004, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law Republic Act 9285: the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of the Philippines. At the time, it may have seemed like one of many laws passed. But over the years, it has quietly shaped how conflict is handled across communities, institutions, and organizations. It opened space for dialogue where there were once few options, and offered a different path, one that allows people to be heard, to understand each other, and to move forward with dignity.
Twenty-two years later, we remember not just the law, but the people and relationships that made it possible.
“In every dispute, there are not just two sides but an untapped side that can transform destructive conflicts into cooperative outcomes.”
(Annabelle Tecson-Abaya)
Prof. Annabelle Tecson-Abaya, Belle to many, was among those who held a quiet but steady belief: that Filipinos are capable of resolving conflict in ways that strengthen, rather than break, relationships. Through her work with the Conflict Resolution Group Foundation (The CoRe Group), she became part of a broader effort to bring people together around this idea. Practitioners, government institutions, members of the judiciary, development partners, and legislators each played a role. The passage of RA 9285 within a relatively short period reflected not just technical work, but a shared sense that this was needed... and possible.
A Shared Effort
Across institutions (judicial, executive, legislative, and civil society) this effort moved forward through shared commitment. We remember, with appreciation, the roles played by:
- The Department of Justice, for anchoring the framework within government
- The Supreme Court of the Philippines, for advancing mediation within the justice system
- The The Asia Foundation and its partners, for supporting early advocacy and implementation
- Members of the arbitration and mediation community, who helped build and sustain the practice over time
- Legislative leaders, including Franklin Drilon and Jose de Venecia Jr., who guided the measure through Congress and the Senate
Many contributed in ways seen and unseen, and no single institution can claim this achievement.
What the Law Made Possible
RA 9285 recognized mediation, arbitration, conciliation, and early neutral evaluation as legitimate and enforceable ways of resolving disputes. It strengthened the country’s capacity to handle conflict not only through formal systems, but through processes that value participation, communication, and practical resolution. Over time, this has meant that many disputes (whether in business, communities, families, or institutions) have found pathways to resolution that do not end in prolonged conflict. In many cases, relationships have been preserved, and in some, even strengthened.
A Continuing Practice
For those who continue this work, the law is not the endpoint. It is a foundation. Each mediation, each difficult conversation, each effort to listen more deeply is part of what keeps this work alive. The practice continues to evolve, shaped by those who choose to engage conflict not as something to win, but as something to understand and work through.
The Conflict Resolution Group Foundation, alongside many others, remains part of this ongoing effort, learning from experience, supporting practitioners, and contributing where it can.
Remembering Belle, Moving Forward
We remember Prof. Belle with gratitude, not only for what she helped build, but for how she approached the work. With clarity. With patience. With respect for people, even in the most difficult situations. Her work reminds us that laws can create space but it is people who give them life.
Twenty-two years on, the work continues. Quietly. Steadily. In courtrooms, in communities, in meeting rooms, and in everyday conversations where people choose to pause, listen, and try again.
And in that sense, the promise of RA 9285 is still unfolding.
To Prof. Belle, and to all who have carried this work forward in ways big and small -- maraming salamat po. 🕊️
