THE Supreme Court (SC) disclosed on Friday its approval of uniform guidelines for the suspension of work and court operations in the lower courts.
The guidelines, ratified by the SC en banc last Oct. 28, set clear procedures for suspending work and trial court operations during typhoons and other natural calamities, transport strikes, interruption of utility services, holidays, and similar situations.
“While the Chief Justice retains the power to suspend work and court operations, the guidelines allow limited delegation of the authority to the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), including the Office of the Regional Court Manager (ORCM) for their respective areas, and Executive Judges for their stations.
In a press statement, the SC said the norms were meant to ensure equitable and consistent procedures across all trial courts.
During emergency situations such as typhoons and heavy rainfall, the ORCM may suspend work and court operations for up to three consecutive days, based on national and local advisories, weather forecasts, rainfall and typhoon warnings, and the area’s vulnerability to flooding or landslides.
For more dire conditions such as earthquakes, fires, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, the Executive Judge may declare suspension for a period not exceeding one day and must submit a report to the ORCM within one day.
The report must state the basis for the suspension, the condition of court personnel and facilities, and whether an extension is needed. The ORCM may extend the suspension for up to two more consecutive days as necessary.
Any suspension beyond three consecutive days requires clearance from the Court Administrator.
For transport strikes and other large rallies, the Executive Judge must notify the ORCM within one day of receiving information.
The ORCM may suspend work and court operations in the affected trial courts for up to three consecutive days, considering relevant factors, such as national and local government advisories, the scale and location of the event, and its impact on court personnel.
In cases of sudden, unannounced strikes or rallies, the Executive Judge may also suspend work on the same day.
They must then submit a report to the ORCM detailing the basis for the suspension and recommending any needed extension.
The ORCM may extend the suspension for up to two more consecutive days. Any suspension beyond three consecutive days requires clearance from the Court Administrator.
For sudden and unannounced electricity interruptions, the Executive Judge may suspend work if the electricity provider or local government advises that power will not be restored within two hours, or no advisory is issued but power remains out for at least two hours.
The Executive Judge must report to the ORCM – either through email, SMS, or any instant messaging application – the factual basis for the suspension and whether an extension is needed.
The ORCM may extend the suspension for up to two more consecutive days, if needed.
For permanent local non-working holidays, which are declared by law to be observed annually within a locality, the ORCM will announce the suspension at least one week before the holiday.
For temporary local non-working holidays or those declared by the President for observance only within the year, the Executive Judge must inform the ORCM within one day of the Office of the President’s declaration.
Any work suspension declared by the ORCMs or Executive Judges shall be reviewed by the Court Administrator, who may reverse the suspension.
Executive Judges must ensure a skeleton workforce remains on duty to handle urgent matters, such as bail applications, release orders, writs of habeas corpus, and similar urgent reliefs, and to keep official hotlines operational.
The guidelines also require prompt notification to parties, law enforcement agencies, and the public.
Immediately after declaring suspension, the Executive Judge or ORCM must inform the SC Communications Office through its official email piocommsoffice.sc@judiciary.gov.ph.
“Work suspensions must be done judiciously. Abuse of authority may lead to administrative action,” the SC said.
