Reiteration on the Grant of Special Emergency Leave to Judges and Court Personnel of the Lower Courts Affected by Natural Calamities/Disasters

November 7, 2022

OCA CIRCULAR NO. 298-2022

 

On November 6, 2012, the Office of the Court Administrator issued OCA Circular No. 118-2012 (Special Emergency Leave to Government Employees Affected by Natural Calamities/Disasters) citing Memorandum Circular No. 2, s. 2012 dated February 16, 2012 of the Civil Service Commission providing guidelines for the grant of emergency leave to government employees pursuant to CSC Resolution No. 1200289, as follows:

1. A five-day emergency leave shall be granted to government employees affected by natural calamity/disaster;

2. The special emergency leave can be applied for five straight working days or on staggered basis and will not be deducted from the employee's leave credit;

3. The purpose of the leave may be any of the following: for urgent repair and clean-up of damage house, being stranded in affected areas, disease/illness of employees brought by natural calamity/disaster, caring of immediate family member affected by natural calamity/disaster;

4. The special emergency leave may be availed of by the affected government employees within thirty days from the first day of calamity declaration by proper government agencies/authorities;

5. A commonly declared natural calamity/disaster may include, but not limited to earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruption and landslide that have profound environmental effect and/or human loss and frequently cause financial loss; and

6. The head of office shall take full responsibility for the grant of special emergency leave and verification of the employee's eligibility to be granted thereof. Said verification shall include: validation of place of residence based on the latest records of the affected employee; verification that the place of residence is covered in the declaration of calamity area by the proper government agency; and other proofs as may be necessary. x x x

To facilitate the grant of special emergency leave to judges and lower court personnel, the Clerk of Court shall submit to the Employees' Leave Division, Office of Administrative Services, Office of the Court Administrator, within ten (10) working days from the first day of the natural calamity/disaster, the list of names and residence addresses of judges and/or employees directly affected by the natural calamity/disaster duly noted by the Presiding Judge (for those in court branches) or the Executive Judge (for those in the Office of the Clerk of Court). (Emphasis added)

For your information and guidance.

(SGD.) RAUL B. VILLANUEVACourt Administrator