SC to deploy emergency response teams to ‘Yolanda’-hit areas

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court will deploy on Monday, November 18, its Emergency Response Team (ERT) to areas flattened by monster Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) to provide assistance to survivors and locate and aid distressed court personnel.

The high court’s Public Information Office said the ERT was composed of volunteers from various offices of the high court, all of whom have been trained to respond in emergency and disaster situations.

The Enhanced Justice on Wheels (EJOW) buses will ferry the ERT and supplies to the affected areas.

The high court also approved the early release of the November 30 salaries of judges and court personnel in the affected areas and the two-week calamity leaves as recommended by Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez.

Under Office Order No. 13-2012, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno approved the granting of the two-week calamity leave all judges and court personnel of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and Palawan from Nov. 11-25, 2013.
The coverage was expanded to the Court of Appeals-Cebu, and the courts in Antique, Masbate, Biliran, and Southern Leyte.

Sereno also required the executive judges and judges in single sala courts in all affected areas to submit status reports on the conditions of their court personnel, halls of justice, and court houses as soon as possible.

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