Work schedules in all courts – from the Supreme Court (SC) to the lowest trial courts – have been revised anew starting Feb. 2 until Feb. 15 to comply with the alert levels imposed by the government as safeguards against the corona virus disease (COVID-19).

The National Capital Region (NCR) and seven provinces have been downgraded to Alert Level 2 starting Tuesday, Feb. 1, until Feb. 15. But the government maintained Alert Level 3 in several cities and provinces nationwide.

For the SC, 50 percent of personnel will work onsite three days a week from Monday to Wednesday with the other 50 percent reporting physically from Thursday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In a memorandum order issued by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, personnel who are not reporting for work onsite have to work from home for two days to complete the mandated 40-hour workweek.

For the Court of the Appeals (CA) in Manila, the work arrangement is the same as that of the SC’s. The order was issued by CA Presiding Justice Remedios A. Salazar Fernando.

CA stations in Cebu City for the Visayas and in Cagayan de Oro City for Mindanao are still physically closed since the two cities are still under Alert Level 3 until Feb. 15. But the two CA stations are operational despite their physical closure.

At the Sandiganbayan offices in Quezon City, work is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday with at least 50 percent of the total workforce reporting onsite. Those not reporting physically have to work from home. The order was issued by Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotaje Tang.

At the Court of Tax Appeals, Presiding Justice Roman G. Del Rosario ordered a 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. work for at least 50 percent of total personnel. Those not reporting onsite will have to work from home.

Trial courts in the NCR and the seven provinces under Alert Level 2 are physically open starting Feb. 2 until Feb. 15 with at least 75 percent of total personnel to at most 100 percent reporting physically for work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the NCR and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in other areas.

The circular issued by Deputy Court Administrator Raul Bautista Villanueva to trial court judges stated that only 50 percent to at most 75 percent of personnel should be maintained onsite during Saturday duty.

Trial courts under Alert Level 3 are physically open with 50 percent to at most 75 percent of total personnel reporting physically for work.

Whether under Alert Level 2 or Alert Level 3, trial court judges are mandated to utilize video conferencing to address urgent cases.

Chief Justice Gesmundo has directed all justices, judges, and court personnel to comply strictly with all health and safety protocols mandated by the government.

Aside from NCR, also placed under Alert Level 2 from Feb. 1 to Feb. 15 are the provinces of Batanes, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Biliran, Southern Leyte, and Basilan.

Under Alert Level 3 in Luzon are Abra, Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, City of Santiago, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City;

Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Laguna, Lucena City, Quezon Province, Marinduque, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa City, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Naga City, and Sorsogon.

In the Visayas, under Alert Level 3 are Aklan, Antique, Bacolod City, Capiz, Iloilo City, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Ormoc City, Tacloban City, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Western Samar.

Under Alert Level 3 in Mindanao are City of Isabela, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental;

Davao City, Davao Del Sur, Davao Del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, General Santos City, North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao del Norte, Surigao Del Sur, Agusan Del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Butuan City, Maguindanao, Cotabato City, and Lanao Del Sur.