Court Operations from 16 July 2022 until Further Orders of the Court

July 15, 2022

OCA CIRCULAR NO. 180-2022-A

 

In light of the reported increase in COVID-19 cases in many parts of the country, taking into account as well that there is now a "Reduced On-Site Working Capacity to be Observed in the Supreme Court Starting July 12, 2022 to July 31, 2022" per Memorandum Order No. 101-2022 dated 11 July 2022, and with prior clearance from Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, court operations from 16 to 31 July 2022 in areas whether placed under Alert Level 1 or 2, or even higher, as may be classified by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), shall be as follows:

COURT OPERATION GUIDELINES (Alert Level 1 or 2, or higher)

[ ] Courts and judicial offices are PHYSICALLY OPEN

[ ] 50% to 75% workforce

[ ] For Judges without court space or facilities of their own, but they already have their own personnel, maintain a skeleton workforce of at least 30%

[ ] No flag raising/lowering ceremonies can be held

[ ] No Saturday duty is allowed

[ ] No jail visitation as provided for in OCA Circular No. 107-2013 dated 30 August 2013

[ ] Night courts are not allowed to operate in stations where these have been organized or required

[ ] Pleadings, motions and other court submissions may be filed or served by registered mail, through the services of duly accredited private couriers, or by transmitting them through electronic mail in accordance with the existing electronic filing guidelines

[ ] Regular office hours as prescribed in OCA Circular No. 09-2015 dated 21 January 2015 shall be observed, i.e., Monday to Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (for Judicial Regions 1 to 12) and 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (for National Capital Judicial Region)

[ ] Personal filing and follow-up of cases are allowed, subject to strict health protocols being observed

In the event that the IATF places a particular province under Alert Level 2, but identifies certain cities or municipalities therein under Alert Level 1, or places an area under a conflicting Alert Level system with a more restrictive health protocol, such classification will not any way affect the observance of the required court operation guidelines as provided herein.

Further, while in-court or face-to-face hearings are given priority per OCA Circular No. 41-2022 dated 28 February 2022, all Judges are hereby allowed or permitted until 31 July 2022 to conduct fully-remote videoconferencing hearings, for at most thrice in a week, regardless of their location in the country, with notice to the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA).

In addition, 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.

Court personnel who are not scheduled to report to the court/office shall be considered under a work-from-home arrangement, wherein their official time for work will be in accordance with what is prescribed in OCA Circular No. 09-2015. More importantly, those required to work-from-home during the subject period must ensure that their lines of communication are open at all times.

In the event that there are pressing concerns that the Judges or court personnel may have regarding their operations from 16 July 2022, the same shall be referred to the OCA for appropriate action.

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, or higher, until 31 July 2022.

For the strict compliance and observance of all concerned.

(SGD.) RAUL B. VILLANUEVACourt Administrator