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

April 30, 2022

OCA CIRCULAR NO. 100-2022

 

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, as well as relevant subsequent circulars from the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), and pursuant to Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution No. 167-A dated 28 April 2022, placing provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), independent component cities (ICCs), component cities and municipalities under their respective Alert Levels 1 and 2 classifications effective 1 to 15 May 2022, the court operations in the hereunder concerned areas that continue to be categorized under Alert Level 1 per IATF Resolution Nos. 163-A dated 27 February 2022, 164-D dated 15 March 2022, 165-E dated 31 March 2022, 165-G dated 8 April 2022, and 166-A dated 12 April 2022, including the herein above-mentioned most recent IATF resolution, shall be as follows:

AREAS UNDER ALERT LEVEL 1

LUZON

National Capital Region (NCR)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Region 5: Albay, Catanduanes, Naga City.

VISAYAS

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

Region 7: Siquijor, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City; and,

Region 8: Biliran, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, Tacloban City.

MINDANAO

Region 9: Zamboanga City;

Region 10: Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City;

Region 11: Davao City; and,

Region 13 (CARAGA): Surigao del Sur, Butuan 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

For courts in the herein listed areas that remain under Alert 2 until 15 May 2022, their operations shall be governed by the guidelines as provided as well in OCA Circular No. 41-2022, together with the relevant subsequent OCA circulars that were issued:

AREAS STILL UNDER ALERT LEVEL 2

LUZON

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Benguet, Ifugao;

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, Negros Occidental;

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

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

MINDANAO

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

Region 10: Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental;

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

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

Region 13 (CARAGA): Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, 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 Benguet, Quezon Province, Palawan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Antique, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Davao Oriental, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi are under Alert Level 2, the following city/municipalities have been placed under Alert Level 1:

 

REGION	MUNICIPALITY
LUZON
CAR:
Benguet	[ ] Tublay
Region 4A:
Quezon	[ ] Candelaria, Dolores, San Antonio
Region 4B:
Palawan	[ ] Cagayancillo
Region 5:
Camarines Norte	[ ] Capalonga
Camarines Sur	[ ] Pili, Tigaon
VISAYAS
Region 6:
Antique	[ ] Tobias Fornier (Dao)
Negros Occidental	[ ] Candoni
Region 7:
Bohol	[ ] Duero
Negros Oriental	[ ] Amlan (Ayuquitan)
Region 8:
Leyte	[ ] Matalom
MINDANAO
Region 9:
Zamboanga del Norte	[ ] Jose Dalman (Ponot), Labason
Zamboanga del Sur	[ ] Molave, Ramon Magsaysay (Liargo)
Zamboanga Sibugay	[ ] Buug
Region 10:
Lanao del Norte	[ ] Baroy, Lala, Tubod
Misamis Occidental	[ ] Tudela
Region 11:
Davao Oriental	[ ] Caraga
Region 12:
North Cotabato	[ ] Arakan
South Cotabato	[ ] City of Koronadal
Sultan Kudarat	[ ] Lebak
Region 13 (CARAGA):
Agusan del Norte	[ ] Kitcharao
Agusan del Sur	[ ] Santa Josefa
Dinagat Islands	[ ] Libjo (Albor)
Surigao del Norte	[ ] General Luna
BARMM:
Maguindanao	[ ] South Upi
Tawi-Tawi	[ ] Turtle Islands

 

All other component cities/municipalities previously considered as under Alert Level 1, although their provinces continue to be under Alert Level 2, per IATF Resolution No. 166-A, but are no longer included in the immediately preceding list, shall be considered as having reverted back to Alert Level 2 status.

Also, 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.

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

Further, 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 May 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).