Re: On-Site Skeleton Workforce in the Supreme Court

January 9, 2022

SUPREME COURT MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 5-2022

RE: ON-SITE SKELETON WORKFORCE IN THE SUPREME COURT

In view of the alarming number of COVID-19 infection among Supreme Court (SC) personnel and in order to minimize if not totally prevent further transmission among them, and for the Supreme Court to continue its operations, upon consultation with the Court En Banc, 1 these guidelines are adopted.

Effective January 10, 2022 and until further orders, a skeleton workforce in the Office of the Clerk of Court, Division Clerks of Court, Judicial Records Office, Financial Management and Budget Office-SC, Office of Administrative Services, SC and Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), Financial Management Office-OCA, Court Management and Legal Offices of OCA, and Internal Audit Service, shall be required to report on-site from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is understood that those who are not required to report on-site shall be under work from home arrangement.

The Justices shall determine the number and schedule of their staff who will be required to report for work on-site in their respective Chambers.

The above on-site skeleton workforce shall not apply to the Office of the Bar Chair, Office of the Bar Confidant, and other offices involved in the preparation of the scheduled Bar Examinations, Medical and Dental Services, and Security Division and Maintenance Division.

Chiefs of Offices/Services shall determine who among their personnel/staff shall be included in the skeleton workforce, which can be under rotation every week. The individual health condition of those reporting on-site will be thoroughly checked upon entering the SC premises. They must not have even the slightest symptoms. They shall be monitored from time to time to ensure that they have no symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Chiefs of Offices/Services and their respective assistants may agree on an alternate shift reporting; however, Chiefs of Offices are on-call anytime.

Likewise, Chiefs of Offices/Services shall continue to submit monthly accomplishment reports of their employees under the WFH arrangement within the first five (5) days of the following month, to the Chief, Office of Administrative Services, Supreme Court, who is also directed to submit a report to the undersigned as to which offices/services/divisions/units failed to comply herewith.

The limited personal filing of initiatory pleadings, etc. which was allowed under MO No. 103-2021 dated November 5, 2021 is discontinued until further orders. Hence, all pleadings and other court submissions shall be filed in accordance with the guidelines set forth under Memorandum Order No. 65-2021 dated August 4, 2021.

The provisions of earlier Memorandum Orders which are inconsistent herewith are deemed modified.

For strict compliance.

Manila, Philippines, January 9, 2022.

(SGD.) ALEXANDER G. GESMUNDOChief Justice

Footnotes

1. IATF recognizes the co-equal or independent authority of the legislature (Senate and the House of Representatives), the judiciary (the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and the lower courts), the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Constitutional Commissions, to implement any alternative work arrangements (GUIDELINES ON THE NATIONWIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF ALERT LEVEL SYSTEM FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE as of December 14, 2021).