MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court suspended work for three days, starting January 3 to January 5 after “many” personnel tested positive on antigen tests in the past week.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo issued Memorandum No. 2-2022 citing a report from the Medical and Dental Services (MDS) of the SC that many Court personnel tested positive on antigen testing done on December 27 to January 2.
“[C]ontact tracing conducted reveals they were in close physical contact with other Court employees,” the chief justice added.
Gesmundo said the three-day work suspension is declared for testing of all other Court personnel and disinfection of the premises.
Concerned personnel of the Office of the Bar Chair and the Office of the Ba Confidant engaged in the 2020/21 Bar examinations, Office of the Administrative OAS-SC, MDS and Receiving Section of the Judicial Records Office involved in e-filing are still required to report on-site, he added.
The SC is set to conduct the 2020/21 Bar examinations on the four Sundays from January 16 to February 6. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu
Gesmundo said that inoculation of booster jabs on January 3 and the SC’s En Banc session on January 4 shall proceed as scheduled.
“The OAS-SC shall ensure that the conduct of vaccination shall be done in strict observance of maximum health and safety protocols,” the chief justice added.
Modified work arrangement
Following the work suspension, Gesmundo said the modified work arrangement ordered for January 3 shall instead take effect on January 6.
The chief justice earlier issued Memorandum No. 1-2022 shortening work hours of the SC to 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All offices are fully operational, with 50% of workforce reporting on-site on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the other half reporting on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
“Everyone is mandated to present his/her negative antigen result slip when entering the Court premises on the said date,” Gesmundo added.
Personal filing of initiatory pleadings is also discontinued.
The chief justice said the modified work arrangement and discontinuance of personal filing shall be in effect until further notice.
Metro Manila reverted to stricter protocols under Alert Level 3 from January 3 to 15 amid an increase in COVID-19 cases and detection of local cases of Omicron variant in the country.
The Office of the Court Administrator has earlier directed that courts in the National Capital Region shall operate with a skeleton workforce of 30-50% reporting on-site from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Deputy Court Administrator Raul Bautista Villanueva also said Saturday duty is suspended from January 3-15. — Kristine Joy Patag