The Supreme Court building in Ermita, Manila. INQUIRER file photo / EDWIN BACASMAS
MANILA, Philippines—Limited personal filing of pleadings is now allowed at the Supreme Court but only from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
The high court allowed the personal filing of pleadings after Metro Manila was placed under Alert Level 2 from Friday to Nov. 21, 2021.
“Only initiatory pleadings such as motions for extension of time to file petition, petitions for review or other original petitions requiring payment of docket fees may be filed personally; all other pleadings and court submissions shall continue to be filed electronically under existing e-filing guidelines,” read the Memorandum Order issued Friday signed by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.
The same memorandum also indicated an increase to 50 percent of the high court’s on-site operational capacity.
Under the memorandum, those who will physically report on a rotation basis shall be determined by the respective Chiefs of Officers.
The officials and employees required to report physically will undergo medical check-up upon entering the Supreme Court premises, while those who have not reported for the past 15 days will undergo antigen tests.
The employees reporting physically for work will be monitored “from time to time to ensure that they have no symptoms of COVID-19 infection.”
“They must not have the slightest symptoms,” read the memorandum.
Meanwhile, the remaining workforce will be under a work-from-home arrangement.
Officials and employees who are supposed to work physically but reside in areas under granular lockdown or areas under micro-level quarantine will be replaced by those under lower alert levels.
The memorandum stated that should the alert level be modified by Nov. 22, the working capacity will also be modified consistent with IATF guidelines.
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