ADMINISTRATIVE
CIRCULAR NO. 2-99
TO: ALL
OFFICIALS
AND EMPLOYEES OF THE JUDICIARY
STRICT
OBSERVANCE
OF WORKING HOURS AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION FOR ABSENTEEISM AND TARDINESS
By reason of
the
nature and functions of their office, the officials and employees of
the
Judiciary must be role models in the faithful observance of the
constitutional
canon that public office is a public trust. Inherent in this mandate is
the observance of prescribed office hours and the efficient use of
every
month thereof for public service, if only to recompense the Government,
and ultimately, the people, who shoulder the cost of maintaining the
Judiciary.
I.Accordingly,
all Courts must observe the following office hours without, however,
prejudice
to the approved flexi-time of certain personnel:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
MONDAY
TO FRIDAY 8:00
A.M. to
12:00 N1:00
P.M. to
5:00 P.M. SATURDAY
[A]
Executive Judges
of the Regional Trial Courts shall assign, by rotation, Judges of the
Municipal
Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in multiple sala
stations
within their respective territorial areas, to be on duty on Saturdays
from
8:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., assisted by a skeletal force, also on rotation,
primarily to act on petitions for bail and urgent matters.
With
respect to the
Metropolitan Trial Courts and Municipal Trial Courts in Cities
consisting
of multiple salas, the assignment of judges for similar Saturday duty
shall
be made by the Executive Judges of said first level courts.
Judges of
single
sala first level courts shall all be on duty on Saturdays as above
provided.
On Saturday
afternoon,
Sundays and non-working holidays, any Judge may act on bailable
offenses
conformably with Section 17, Rule 114 of the Rules of Court, as amended.
All
Regional Trial
Court executive judges, whether in single sala or multiple salas, shall
remain on duty on Saturday mornings.[Interim
Rules and Guidelines Relative to the Implementation of the Judiciary
Reorganization
Act of 1980, A.6].
[B] Court
offices,
(e.g., Office of the Clerk) and units which deal directly
with the public such as receiving, process-serving and cashier’s units,
shall maintain a skeletal force on Saturdays from 8:00 A.M. to noon,
and
from 12:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. Those assigned to work on Saturdays shall
be notified of their assignment at least three days in advance. An
employee
so assigned shall have a full day-off the following week, on a day to
be
specified by the Justice/Judge concerned.[Manual for Clerks of Court, Chapter II, Section A, 1]. II.
Absenteeism and tardiness, even if such do not qualify as "habitual" or
"frequent" under Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 04,
Series
of 1991, shall be dealt with severely, and any falsification of daily
records
to cover-up for such absenteeism and/or tardiness, shall constitute
gross
dishonesty or serious misconduct.
III.
The Office of the Court Administrator shall see to it that this Order
is
faithfully enforced.
This
Administrative
Order supersedes and modifies accordingly any previous Orders or
Circulars
on the matter and shall take effect on 1 February 1999.
City of
Manila, 15
January 1999.
[Sgd.]
HILARIO
G. DAVIDE, JR.Chief
Justice |