Supreme Court Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of the East (UE) on Oct. 27, 2026 at the UE Theater in Manila in recognition of his distinguished career in public service and his commitment to the rule of law.
The conferment ceremony was held as part of the university’s celebration of its 80th founding anniversary, attended by high-ranking government and UE officials.
Justice Zalameda is the 36th recipient of an honorary doctorate from UE since it began conferring the distinction in 1957. He had also previously been recognized twice as one of UE’s Outstanding Alumni.
UE President and Chief Academic Officer Zosimo M. Battad lauded Justice Zalameda’s legal excellence and unwavering integrity in public service and hailed him as a steadfast defender of the rule of law whose distinguished career embodies the ideals of honor, commitment, and service to the nation.
In his acceptance speech, Justice Zalameda expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing it as both an affirmation of his professional journey and a reminder of the responsibilities that come with public service.
“The law must therefore be understood not only as a body of rules, but as an instrument of justice,” he said, underscoring the Judiciary’s duty to remain faithful to the Constitution and the law while being mindful of the consequences of its decisions on the lives of the people. He stressed that judicial authority must be exercised for the benefit of ordinary Filipinos seeking justice, and that the judicial office demands restraint, independence, humility, and careful decision-making.
Crediting UE with instilling in him the university’s core values that have guided his career, Justice Zalameda said the judicial reforms he intends to pursue would reflect these values, adding that his professional accomplishments would not have been possible without the teachers, mentors, colleagues, family members, and institutions that supported him throughout his journey.
Justice Zalameda described the honor as a homecoming to the institution where his academic journey began and pledged to continue serving in a manner that would bring honor to the degree and to his alma mater.
A product of UE’s secondary and undergraduate programs, Justice Zalameda completed his high school education at UE Caloocan in 1979 and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UE Manila in 1983. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from Ateneo de Manila University in 1987 and was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1988.
He began his legal career as a Branch Clerk of Court at the Regional Trial Court of Makati City before entering private practice. He later returned to government service as a public prosecutor in Mandaluyong City and was appointed Chief City Prosecutor in 2002 at the age of 39. He served as an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals for 11 years beginning in 2008 before his appointment to the Supreme Court in 2019.
He was the first former city prosecutor to be appointed an Associate Justice of the High Court. He is currently among the candidates for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
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