Amending Memorandum Order No. 64-2021 Dated July 30, 2021

August 4, 2021

SUPREME COURT MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 65-2021

AMENDING MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 64-2021 DATED JULY 30, 2021

In Memorandum Order No. 64-2021 dated July 30, 2021, the offices in the Supreme Court were ordered physically closed from August 2, 2021 to August 20, 2021 to support the government's effort to arrest the spread of the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant, and considering that Metro Manila and other parts of the country were placed under General Community Quarantine "subject to heightened and additional restrictions from July 30, 2021 to August 5, 2021, and thereafter under Enhanced Community Quarantine from August 6, 2021 to August 20, 2021."

As the Supreme Court has to act on certain urgent matters, certain personnel of offices concerned with (a) the receiving of pleadings, resolution of urgent matters and cases, if warranted, such as Receiving Section of the Judicial Records Office and the Office of the Clerks of Court which shall maintain a reduced workforce; (b) the payment of salaries in the Judiciary (FMBO, OAS, OAS-OCA, FMO-OCA and Internal Audit, who shall report twice a week to ensure that all the salaries/benefits of the employees are received on time); (c) the employees of the Office of the Bar Confidant to work on urgent matters relating to the Bar Examinations; (d) three (3) medical personnel and one (1) ambulance driver; (e) motorpool drivers, and (f) security and maintenance (plumbers and electricians) personnel of the court were required to report. Their official time will be from 9:00 o'clock in the morning to 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon. Work that can be performed in the respective residences of the justices and court personnel shall proceed. No other employees were allowed to report except those specifically mentioned above.

For the guidance of lawyers/parties-litigants, the following guidelines are likewise issued:

1. The personal filing/service of pleadings and other court submissions during the above period shall not be allowed but they may do so either by registered mail, or through the services of duly accredited private couriers or by transmitting them through electronic mail in accordance with the existing electronic filing guidelines.

2. For exceptionally urgent matters, personal filing of the pleading or submission may be done through the Docket Receiving Section of the Judicial Records Office but only after the concerned personnel of the Docket Receiving Section shall have properly communicated and cleared the matter with the proper Office and have received official confirmation that the matter covered by the pleading or submission being personally filed is indeed urgent.

The following guidelines are hereby reiterated:

1. All official meetings, including meetings of the bids and awards committees and other committees, round table discussions, focus group discussions, seminars, trainings, conventions and functions in the Judiciary shall be done virtually.

2. The submission to the Office of Administrative Services, Supreme Court of the monthly accomplishment reports within the first five (5) days of the following months shall be continuously complied with.

3. All concerned MUST REGULARLY VISIT the Supreme Court website and MONITOR the Supreme Court Twitter Account for the latest developments and announcements.

All prior issuances not inconsistent herewith shall remain valid and in effect.

Manila, Philippines, August 4, 2021.

(SGD.) ALEXANDER G. GESMUNDOChief Justice