Three UST Graduate School of Law alumni were put at the helm of the Philippine Institute of Dispute Resolution and Arbitration (PIDRA), announced on July 31, 2025, at the Club Filipino in San Juan City.
The three distinguished Thomasian legal scholars were Chairman Dean Amado Paolo Dimayuga, President Dean Rodel A. Taton, and Executive Director Dr. Kristy Jane Balino.
Their collective expertise and vision have shaped PIDRA into a credible and forward-thinking institution, aligned with the Supreme Court’s push for inclusive and innovative justice mechanisms.
Moreover, PIDRA’s website and mobile platform were launched, putting its blend of technology, legal rigor, and public service at the forefront. PIDRA was poised to redefine dispute resolution in the Philippines.
PIDRA’s core objective was to democratize access to justice by providing a streamlined, legally compliant, and user-friendly system for dispute resolution – the PIDRA platform. This mobile app will enable users to file claims, communicate with arbitrators, upload documents, and track case progress anywhere in the world.
During the event, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ramon Paul Hernando was the keynote speaker, emphasizing that “traditional litigation can no longer be the sole gateway to justice.” The initiative also received strong support from the Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and the Office of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Executive Director Margaret Rizza D. Andaman, who joined the event through their virtual messages of support.
PIDRA is a pioneering private non-profit organization committed to transforming how civil, commercial, and relational disputes are resolved in the Philippines. PIDRA offers a digital-first approach to alternative dispute resolution (ADR), allowing parties to settle conflicts through arbitration, mediation, and other non-litigious methods.