Creating a Committee to Review the Lower Courts' Operations and Organization

February 29, 2008

SUPREME COURT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 40-08

CREATING A COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE LOWER COURTS' OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATION

WHEREAS, on January 13, 2006, the Philippine Association of Court Employees (PACE) requested the Supreme Court to consider and approve the proposed reclassification of position titles and the upgrading of salaries of lower court employees it submitted; HSCcTD

WHEREAS, in its Resolution dated January 24, 2006 in A.M. No. 06-1-04-SC, the Court En Banc directed the Office of the Court Administrator and the Office of Administrative Services to comment on the request of PACE;

WHEREAS, the Office of the Court Administrator, through its Officer-in-Charge, (1) reported to the Court that an Ad Hoc Committee had been constituted in 2003 tasked with submitting proposals for the upgrading, reclassification, creation or abolition of positions in the lower courts, together with their corresponding salary grades and the definition and identification of the duties and functions attached to each position, for the purpose of making the lower courts' staff positions responsive to present requirements; and (2) transmitted a copy of the Report submitted in October 2004 by the said Ad Hoc Committee to the Court Administrator;

WHEREAS, the Office of the Court Administrator, through the Officer-in-Charge, underscored the need to create another Committee to further study the concerns raised in the Ad Hoc Committee Report and to conduct a more thorough study of the operations and organization of the lower courts; and

WHEREAS, the Court En Banc, in its Resolution dated April 25, 2006, resolved to create a Committee "which will conduct a more comprehensive and strategic review of the lower court's operations and organization, adopting for the purpose the parameters contained in Executive Order No. 366 [dated October 4, 2004] creating the Change Management Team";

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the aforesaid Court resolution, a Committee is hereby created, to be called the Committee to Review the Lower Courts' Operations and Organization, composed of the following:

1.	Chairman	:	ACA Edwin A. Villasor
2.	Vice-Chairman	:	Atty. Thelma C. Bahia
3.	Members	:	a. Atty. Caridad A. Pabello
			b. Atty. Jaime D. Navarrete
			c. Atty. Fe Corcelles-Aguila
			d. Atty. Pascuala S. Magtibay
			e. Atty. Arturo V. Noblejas
			f. Atty. Eric S. Fortaleza
			g. Ms. Marietta R. Esdrelon.

2.  The Committee shall have the following functions: AECIaD

a. Review and diagnose the existing organizational structures of the first and second level courts and identify organizational weaknesses, constraints and limitations;

b. Recommend appropriate amendments to the present organizational structure of the first and second level courts, including staff positions, the definition and identification of their duties and responsibilities, their reclassification, collapse or merger to render the said positions more responsive to the needs of the courts and the public they serve;

c. Review salary levels and study salary upgrading which should not however result in wage distortions,

d. Conduct consultation meetings with the officials of the Office of the Court Administrator, judges and personnel of the lower courts and other stakeholders; and

e. Perform such other functions as may be necessary for the performance of its responsibilities.

The Chairperson, in consultation with the Members, shall designate the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Committee. The Chairperson, Members, Secretary and Assistant Secretary shall be entitled to the authorized expense allowances, subject to the guidelines prescribed under Administrative Circular No. 13-99 dated September 30, 1999.

The Committee shall complete its work under this Administrative Order within six (6) months from its constitution.

Issued this 29th day of February 2008.

(SGD.) REYNATO S. PUNOChief Justice

(SGD.) ANTONIO T. CARPIOAssociate Justice

(SGD.) CONSUELO YNARES-SANTIAGOAssociate JusticeChairperson, Third DivisionSupreme Court of the Philippines

(Per Revised A.M. No. 99-12-08-SC)