Authorizing the Grant and Release of Fringe Benefit to the Judges, Officials and Personnel of the Lower Courts

April 6, 2011

SUPREME COURT MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 18-A-11

AUTHORIZING THE GRANT AND RELEASE OF FRINGE BENEFIT TO THE JUDGES, OFFICIALS AND PERSONNEL OF THE LOWER COURTS

WHEREAS, by virtue of, and pursuant to, his authority under the Constitution to augment items in the budget for the lower courts from savings in other items therein and under Joint Resolution No. 1, dated April 3, 1992, of the Constitutional Fiscal Autonomy Group (CFAG) on the use of their savings in the exercise of fiscal autonomy, and pursuant further to CFAG Joint Resolution No. 57, dated March 24, 1999, the Chief Justice may authorize the grant of fringe benefit in the form of Rice Subsidy Allowance to officials and employees of the judiciary to alleviate them from their present economic condition arising from the prevailing economic crisis in the country;

WHEREAS, as reported by the Financial Management Office, Office of the Court Administrator (FMO-OCA),fringe benefit in the amount of FOUR THOUSAND PESOS (P4,000.00) may be granted to each of the judges, officials and personnel of the lower courts [excluding those in the 7th Judicial Region and the Regional Court Administration Office-Region 7 (RCAO-7)] chargeable against available savings from the regular appropriations of the lower courts;

WHEREAS, fringe benefit in the amount of FOUR THOUSAND PESOS (P4,000.00) may likewise be granted to the personnel of the Halls of Justice, excluding those in the 7th Judicial Region, chargeable against the savings from the regular appropriations of the Supreme Court, as certified to by the Fiscal Management and Budget Office (FMBO);

Notwithstanding the insufficiency of savings in the appropriations allotted for the 7th Judicial Region, fringe benefit in the amount of FOUR THOUSAND PESOS (P4,000.00) may be granted to each of the judges, officials and personnel of the lower courts in the 7th Judicial Region and the RCAO-7, and the personnel of the Halls of Justice in the same judicial region, chargeable against the available savings from the regular appropriations of lower courts in other judicial regions and the Supreme Court. SCEDAI

NOW THEREFORE, the Chief Justice hereby authorizes the grant and release of FOUR THOUSAND PESOS (P4,000.00) to each judge, official and personnel of the lower courts, including those in the 7th Judicial Region and RCAO-7, and to the personnel of the Halls of Justice, also including those in the 7th Judicial Region which shall be charged against the respective savings from the regular appropriations of the lower courts and the Supreme Court.

The benefit herein granted shall be received in its full amount by those who are in the service for three (3) months or more, as of March 31, 2011, and shall be subject to the implementing guidelines hereto attached.

The Court Administrator, the Chiefs of the FMO and Office of Administrative Services (OAS),OCA and the Chiefs of the FMBO and the OAS, Supreme Court shall work together to immediately implement this Memorandum Order.

This Memorandum Order shall take effect upon its issuance.

Issued this 6th day of April 2011.

(SGD.) RENATO C. CORONAChief Justice