CIRCULAR
NO. 27-2000
TO: ALL PERSONNEL
OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS, METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL
TRIAL
COURTS IN CITIES, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL
COURTS,
SHARI'A DISTRICT COURTS AND SHARI'A CIRCUIT COURTS
SUBJECT: GUIDELINES
IN THE WEARING OF THE PRESCRIBED OFFICE UNIFORMS
The prescription
of a dress code for all government officials and employees conforms
with
the provisions of Republic
Act No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public
Officials
and Employees). Its intent goes beyond maintaining modesty and
proper
decorum in the civil service. The wearing of the appropriate office
attire
leaves as well an impression on the public on whether or not government
officials and employees perform and discharge their duties with the
highest
degree of, inter alia, excellence, professionalism and skill.cralaw:red
Being at the line
with direct citizens' exposure in the administration and dispensation
of
justice and being housed in temples of justice, lower court officials
and
employees must always set the example not just of modesty and proper
decorum
in their day-to-day transactions with the public but also of utmost
professionalism.
For this reason and pursuant to Administrative Circulars Nos. 10-99 and
10-A-99, series of 1999, requiring all employees of the Judiciary to
wear
the prescribed office uniforms on designated days of the week, the
following
guidelines are set for strict compliance by all lower court officials
and
employees:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
1. Grant of Clothing
Allowance. - All employees who have been in the service for at
least
six (6) consecutive months shall be entitled to the clothing allowance;
provided that said employees shall still serve for another six (6)
months
from the day the said allowance is received (Sec. 305, Article 5
[Clothing
Allowance], Chapter 5, Title 5, Book III, General Accounting and
Auditing
Manual [Volume I], s. 1992).cralaw:red
2. Schedule.
- The wearing of the new office uniforms started on 03 January 2000
with
the following schedule:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
Mondays
and
Wednesdays - Navy Blue set
Tuesdays
and Thursdays- Khaki Set
Fridays
- Appropriate
office attire.
Appropriate
office attire
as herein mentioned refers to the requirements prescribed by Civil
Service
Memorandum Circular Nos. 14 (Dress Code) and 25, s. 1991, the pertinent
provisions of which read, as follows:
CSC MC
No.14,
s. 1991:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
"2. They
must be
dressed appropriately; preferably business clothes but no party attire,
picnic clothes, sandos nor t-shirts should be worn at work.
"3. The use
of tight
fitting, seductive micro-mini and gauzy/transparent dresses by female
employees
shall be prohibited.cralaw:red
"4. Walking
shorts,
pedal pushers, leggings, tights, jogging and maong pants shall likewise
be prohibited...cralaw:red
"5. The use
of too
much costume jewelry, flashy bangles and similar accessories shall
likewise
be prohibited. Conversely, ostentatious display of expensive jewelry is
strongly discouraged and prohibited except for special occasions and
official
celebrations.cralaw:red
x x
x
"7. The
wearing of
slippers, sandals, bakya, etc., in office premises is banned. Only
appropriate
footwear shall be allowed."
CSC MC No.
25, s.
1991:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
"1.a) The
wearing
of "maong" pants among male employees is allowed provided that the same
is worn with collared T-shirts.
"1.b) In
other words,
female office workers are not allowed to wear "maong.""
3. Wearing
of Collared
T-Shirts. - T-shirts, the wearing of which is prohibited in the
Circular,
refer to non-collared ones. Collared T-shirts are allowed for wear by
both
male and female employees.
4. Skirt Length.
- Female officials and employees shall see to it that their skirts
are knee-length. Definitely, mini and micro-mini skirts are restricted.cralaw:red
5. Appropriate
Footwear. - Appropriate footwear (CSC MC No.14, s. 1991) shall mean
closed formal shoes. The wearing of slippers, step-ins, sandals and bakya
are certainly prohibited, especially when walking within
office premises,
courthouses or Halls of Justice.cralaw:red
6. Non-wearing
of Office Uniforms. - Except for very special and meritorious
reasons,
all officials and employees who have been issued uniforms shall wear
them
in accordance with the Schedule provided in Section 2 hereof. In
single-sala
courts, officials and employees who are in mourning or pregnant shall
seek
exemption from the Presiding Judge of their respective courts from
wearing
the said uniforms. The written exemption shall indicate the period
during
which they are so exempted.cralaw:red
In multiple sala
courts, the Executive Judge shall constitute a Uniform Committee of
three
(3) members, with the Clerk of Court as Chairperson, which shall act on
all requests for exemption from the wearing of the prescribed uniforms.
Reports on the personnel granted exemption shall be submitted to the
Uniform
Committee.cralaw:red
7. Wearing of
Identification Cards. - The wearing of the office I.D. at all times
forms part of the official uniform of the court.cralaw:red
8. Judges. -
Being the official representatives of the entire Judiciary and the most
visible symbol of Lady Justice as well as being the overall managers in
their respective areas of jurisdiction, Judges are not required to wear
the office uniform. However, they may do so should they wish to.cralaw:red
9. Officials or
Employees Who Have Retired, Resigned or Who Have Severed Relationship
with
the Judiciary. -
A.
Officials and/or
employees granted the uniform allowance and issued the corresponding
uniforms
but were separated from the service either due to retirement,
resignation
or termination from the service before the completion of the required
number
of months (as provided in Section 1) shall be required to refund such
amount
that the Financial Management Office, Office of the Court
Administrator,
may determine to be in excess of the allowable amount due them for the
year.
B.
Compulsory retirees
for a particular year shall not be issued uniforms anymore within the
said
year.cralaw:red
10. Transferees
within
the Judiciary. - Officials or employees granted the uniform
allowance
in kind but who have transferred to other offices within
the Judiciary,
i. e. from the lower courts to the Supreme Court or vice
versa,
shall no longer be issued another set of uniforms. They shall wear the
uniforms already issued to them in the office to which they have
transferred.
No refund of the- amount received in this case shall be necessary.
However,
they can wear the uniforms of their new office but payment for such
uniforms
shall be at their own expense.
11. Transferees
to Other Government Offices. - Officials or employees granted the
uniform
allowance in kind and whose measurements have already been
taken
by the uniform dressmakers/tailors but who have transferred to other
government
agencies or who have resigned (1) before the end of the calendar year;
and (2) prior to the delivery of the uniforms shall receive the said
uniforms
made/tailored for them. In addition, they shall be required to refund
such
amount that the Financial Management Office, Office of the Court
Administrator,
may determine to be in excess of the allowable amount due them for the
year.cralaw:red
12. New Employees.
- Once a new employee becomes entitled to the uniform allowance
for
a particular year and the same is given in kind, the Court
shall
pay the corresponding amount thereof. However, the said employee shall
be entitled to only one set for each of the uniforms issued for the
said
year.cralaw:red
13. Non-inclusion
of personnel entitled to uniforms. - Those who are entitled to the
uniform allowance but were not included in the master list of employees
should coordinate with the Office of Administrative Services, Office of
the Court Administrator.cralaw:red
14. Administrative
Discipline for Non-compliance with the Guidelines. - Subsection
(b),
Section 46 of Chapter 7 (Discipline), Subtitle A (Civil Service
Commission),
Title I, Book V of the Administrative
Code of 1987 includes the violation of reasonable office
regulations
as a ground. for disciplinary action. Section 23, Rule IV (Discipline)
of the "Omnibus Rules Implementing Book V of Executive Order No. 292 (Administrative
Code of 1987) and Other Pertinent Civil Service Laws" provides, to
wit:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
"The.
following
are light offenses with their corresponding penalties:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
xxx
"(c)
Violation
of reasonable office rules and regulations (This includes violation of
MC 14, s. 1991 [Dress Code])."
Thus, subject
to the
requirements of due process, the following penalties shall be strictly
imposed in administrative disciplinary proceedings for non- compliance
with the Guidelines:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
A. 1st
Offense
- Reprimand
B. 2nd
Offense
- Suspension for one (1) day to thirty (30) days
C. 3rd
Offense- Suspension for two (2) months
D. 4th
Offense
- Dismissal from the service
15. Monitoring
of
Compliance with the Guidelines. - All Presiding Judges, Clerks of
Court
and Branch Clerks of Courts are hereby directed to implement the
provisions
of these Guidelines and to closely monitor compliance therewith. The
Clerk
of Court or the Branch Clerk of Court, as the case may be, shall submit
a monthly report of any violation to the Uniform Committee, Supreme
Court,
for appropriate action.
[Sgd.]
ALFREDO
L. BENIPAYOCourt
Administrator
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