Court Operations from 1 April 2022 until Further Orders of the Court

April 1, 2022

OCA CIRCULAR NO. 78-2022

 

With prior clearance from Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, in conformity with the guidelines on court operations provided in OCA Circular No. 41-2022 dated 28 February 2022, and pursuant to Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) No. 165-E dated 31 March 2022 placing provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) under their respective Alert Levels 1 and 2 classifications effective 1 to 15 April 2022, the court operations in the hereunder concerned areas previously under Alert Level 2, and now categorized under Alert Level 1, shall be as follows:

AREAS UNDER ALERT LEVEL 1

LUZON

Region 4A: Rizal;

Region 4B: Oriental Mindoro; and,

Region 5: Albay.

VISAYAS

Region 7: Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City.

MINDANAO

Region 10: Bukidnon, Iligan City.

COURT OPERATION GUIDELINES (Alert Level 1)

[ ] Courts and judicial offices are FULLY OPERATIONAL

[ ] Full on-site 1 staff complement to report for work

[ ] For Judges without court space or facilities of their own, but they already have their own personnel, maintain a skeleton workforce of at least 75%

[ ] Night courts are allowed to operate in stations where these have been organized or required

[ ] Executive Judges may conduct jail visitations as provided for in OCA Circular No. 107-2013 dated 30 August 2013

[ ] Flag raising/lowering ceremonies can be held

The courts in the following areas previously placed under Alert Level 1 per IATF Resolution Nos. 163-A dated 27 February 2022 and 164-D dated 15 March 2022, and which continue to remain in the same Alert Level, shall continue to be governed by the same above guidelines:

AREAS STILL UNDER ALERT LEVEL 1

LUZON

National Capital Judicial Region

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Abra, Apayao, Baguio City, Kalinga;

Region 1: Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan;

Region 2: Batanes, Cagayan, City of Santiago, Isabela, Quirino;

Region 3: Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales;

Region 4A: Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Lucena City;

Region 4B: Marinduque, Puerto Princesa City, Romblon; and,

Region 5: Catanduanes, Naga City.

VISAYAS

Region 6: Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo City;

Region 7: Cebu City, Siquijor; and,

Region 8: Biliran, Ormoc City, Tacloban City.

MINDANAO

Region 9: Zamboanga City;

Region 10: Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin; and,

Region 11: Davao City; and,

Region 13: Butuan City.

For courts in the herein listed areas that remain under Alert 2 until 15 April 2022, their operations shall be governed by the guidelines as provided in OCA Circular No. 41-2022:

AREAS STILL UNDER ALERT LEVEL 2

LUZON

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province;

Region 2: Nueva Vizcaya;

Region 4A: Quezon Province;

Region 4B: Occidental Mindoro, Palawan; and,

Region 5: Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon.

VISAYAS

Region 6: Antique, Iloilo Province, Negros Occidental;

Region 7: Bohol, Cebu Province, Negros Oriental; and,

Region 8: Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Western Samar (Samar).

MINDANAO

Region 9: City of Isabela, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay;

Region 10: Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental;

Region 11: Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental;

Region 12: General Santos City, North Cotabato (Cotabato), Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat;

Region 13 (CARAGA): Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte; and,

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): Basilan, Cotabato City, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi.

COURT OPERATION GUIDELINES (Alert Level 2)

[ ] Courts and judicial offices are PHYSICALLY OPEN

[ ] Maintain a skeleton workforce of at least 80%2

[ ] For Judges without court space or facilities of their own, but they already have their own personnel, maintain a skeleton workforce of at least 50% to at most 75%

[ ] Night courts are not yet allowed to operate

Although Ifugao, Mountain Province, Quezon Province, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Antique, Iloilo Province, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar (Samar), Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Zibugay, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte remain under Alert Level 2, the following municipalities/cities have been placed under Alert Level 1:

 

REGION	MUNICIPALITY/CITY
LUZON
CAR:
Ifugao	[ ] Lagawe, Lamut
Mountain Province	[ ] Besao, Bontoc, Sagada
Region 2:
Nueva Vizcaya	[ ] Bambang, Bayombong, Dupax del Norte, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde
Region 4A:
Quezon	[ ] Tayabas City, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Plaridel, Polillo, Quezon, Sampaloc
Region 4B:
Occidental Mindoro	[ ] Lubang
Palawan	[ ] Culion
Region 5:
Camarines Norte	[ ] Daet, San Vicente
Camarines Sur	[ ] Bombon, Cabusao, Camaligan, Iriga City, Presentation (Parubcan), San Fernando
Sorsogon	[ ] Barcelona, Bulusan, Casiguran, Sorsogon City, Gubat, Juban, Magallanes, Prieto Diaz
VISAYAS
Region 6:
Antique	[ ] San Jose, Sebaste
Iloilo Province	[ ] Anilao, Balasan, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Bingawan, Concepcion, Due単as, Guimbal, Janiuay, Lemery, Mina, Pototan, San Dionisio, Santa Barbara
Negros Occidental	[ ] Enrique B. Magalona (Saravia), La Carlota City, Pulupandan, Sagay City, San Enrique
Region 7:
Bohol	[ ] Batuan, Corella, Dimiao, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City
Negros Oriental	[ ] Dumaguete City
Region 8:
Eastern Samar	[ ] Arteche, Balangkayan, Can-avid, Borongan City, Jipapad, Maydolong, Salcedo, San Policarpio, Sulat, Taft
Leyte	[ ] Albuera, Baybay City, Dulag, Matag-ob, Palo, Tunga
Southern Leyte	[ ] Anahawan, Maasin City, Hinundayan, Libagon, Limasawa, Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Pintuyan
Northern Samar	[ ] Capul, Lapinig, Lavezares, San Antonio, San Jose, Victoria
Western Samar (Samar)	[ ] Marabut, Pagsanghan
MINDANAO
Region 9:
Zamboanga del Norte	[ ] Dapitan City, Dipolog City, Pi単an (New Pi単an), Polanco, Rizal
Zamboanga Sibugay	[ ] Ipil, Tungawan
Region 10:
Lanao del Norte	[ ] Bacolod
Misamis Occidental	[ ] Clarin, Jimenez, Ozamiz City, Panaon
Misamis Oriental	[ ] Alubijid, Binuangan, El Salvador City, Initao, Laguindingan, Libertad, Lugait, Naawan, Sugbongcogon, Tagoloan
Region 11:
Davao Oriental	[ ] Cateel, Mati City
Davao de Oro	[ ] Montevista
Region 12:
North Cotabato (Cotabato)	[ ] Kidapawan City, President Roxas
South Cotabato	[ ] Polomolok, Santo Ni単o
Sultan Kudarat	[ ] Tacurong City
Region 13 (CARAGA):
Agusan del Norte	[ ] Carmen, Jabonga, Magallanes, Nasipit
Agusan del Sur	[ ] Bunawan, Loreto, Prosperidad
Dinagat Islands	[ ] Loreto
Surigao del Norte	[ ] Tagana-an

 

All common court operation guidelines for areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2, as cited in OCA Circular No. 41-2022, shall continue to be in force.

Further, all other issuances of the Court or the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) that are inconsistent herewith will no longer be applicable to the courts in areas under either Alert Level 1 or 2.

All health and safety protocols against COVID-19 prescribed by the Court and the OCA, as well as those required by the IATF and the Department of Health, shall be complied with whatever is the Alert Level of a particular area.

In the event that there are pressing concerns that the Judges or court personnel may have regarding their operations from 1 April 2022, the same shall be referred to the OCA for appropriate action.

For the strict compliance and observance of all concerned.

(SGD.) RAUL B. VILLANUEVACourt Administrator

Footnotes

1. Sec. 6, Guidelines on the Nationwide Implementation of Alert Level System for COVID-19 Response (as of 14 December 2021).

2. Id., Sec. 5 (4).