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The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered a 50 to 75 percent workforce from April 25 to April 30 in courts in areas under Covid-19 Alert Levels 1 and 2 as identified by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
In a circular, Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva said that while face-to-face hearings “are given priority,” trial court judges are allowed to conduct fully remote video conferencing for court proceedings for at least three times a week.
With clearance from Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Villanueva said that courts are physically open starting at 8 a.m., Saturday duty and night courts are not allowed, and pleadings and other documents may be filed or served through registered mail or through accredited couriers.
“All health and safety protocols against Covid-19 prescribed by the Court and the Office of the Court Administration (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,” Villanueva also said in his circular to judges.
Also, he said that “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.”
Those working from home should make sure that their communication lines are always open, he also said.
Based on IATF, the OCA said areas under Alert Level 1 in Luzon are National Capital Region (NCR); Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Baguio City, Benguet (Buguias, Sablan and Tublay), Ifugao (Alfonso Lista [Potia], Kiangan, Lagawe, Lamut);
Region 1: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City; Region 2: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, 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, Quezon Province (Alabat, Atimonan, Candelaria, City of Tayabas, Dolores, Gumaca, Lucban, Mauban, Padre Burgos, Pagbilao, Perez, Plaridel, Polillo, Quezon,.Sampaloc, San Antonio, Sariaya, Tiaong, Unisan);
Region 4B: Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (Cagayancillo, Culion, El Nido [Bacuit], Kalayaan); and, Region 5: Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Naga City, Camarines Norte (Basud, Capalonga, Daet, San Vicente, Talisay), Masbate (Balud, Batuan, City of Masbate, Mandaon, Milagros, San Fernando).
In the Visayas, areas under Alert Level 1 Region 6: Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo Province, Bacolod City, Iloilo City; Antique (Anini-y, Barbaza, San Jose, Sebaste, Tobias Fornier [Dao]), Negros Occidental (Cadiz City, Candoni, City of Himamaylan, City of Talisay, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona [Saravia], Ilog, La Carlota City, Murcia, Ponteverde, Pulupandan, Sagay City, San Enrique, Silay City, Valladolid);
Region 7: Siquijor, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Bohol (Alburquerque, Balilihan, Batuan, Calape, Corella, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Maribojoc, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia [Pitogo], San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City), Cebu Province (Alboy, Borbon, City of Naga, City of Talisay, Oslob, Pilar, Poro, Santander, Tudela), Negros Oriental (Amlan [Ayuquitan], Bacong, Dauin, Dumaguete City, Valencia Luzurriaga], Zamboanguita);
Region 8: Biliran, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, Tacloban City, Leyte (Abuyog, Albuera, Bato, Barugo, City of Baybay, Dulag, Hindang, Inopacan, Javier [Bugho], La Paz, Leyte, Matag-ob, Matalom, Palo, Pastrana, Tabontabon, Tunga, Villaba), Samar [Western Samar] (City of Catbalogan, marabut, Mpotiong, Pagsanghan, Paranas [Wright], San Sebastian, Talalora, Tarangnan, Zumarraga).
In Mindanao, areas under Alert Level 1 are: Region 9: Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Isabela, Zamboanga City;
Region 10: Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte (Bacolod, Baroy, Kauswagan, Kolambugan, Lala Linamon, Tubod);
Region 11: Davao Oriental, Davao City, Davao de Oro (Mawab, Montevista, Nabunturan, New Bataan), Davao del Norte (Braulio E. Dujali, Island Garden City of Samal, Santo Tomas), Davao del Sur (Padada), Davao Occidental (Don Marcelino, Malita, Santa Maria);
Region 12: South Cotabato, General Santos City, Cotabato [North Cotabato] (Antipas, Arakan, City of Kidapawan, Kabacan, President Roxas), Sarangani (Maitum), Sultan Kudarat (Bagumbayan, City of Tacurong, Kalamansig, Lebak, President Quirino);
Region 13 (CARAGA): Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Butuan City, Dinagat Islands (Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo [Albor], Loreto, Tubajon);
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): Lanao del Sur, Cotabato City, Maguindano (South Upi, Upi), Sulu (Hadji Panglima Tahil [Marunggas]; and Tawi-Tawi (Turtle Islands).
Areas under Alert Level 2, except in provinces where certain cities or municipalities have been placed under Alert Level 1, are Luzon: Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Benguet, Ifugao;
Region 4A: Quezon Province; Region 4B: Palawan; and, Region 5: Camarines Norte, Masbate.
In the Visayas, areas under Alert Level 2 are Region 6: Antique, Negros Occidental; Region 7: Bohol, Cebu Province, Negros Oriental; and, Region 8: Leyte, Samar [Western Samar].
In Mindanao, under Alert Level 2 are Region 10: Lanao del Norte; Region 11: Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental; Region 12: Cotabato [North Cotabato], Sultan Kudarat; and,
Region 13 (CARAGA): Dinagat Islands; and, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): Basilan, Maguindanao, Sulu; Tawi-Tawi.
