OCA CIRCULAR NO. 20-2012, March 16, 2012

The twin problems of docket congestion and case delay continue to afflict the nation’s trial courts as the volume of cases filed consistently rise, while the population increase inevitably pushes the judge-to-people ratio down to the lowest level in decades.

The problem of congestion is nowhere more evident than in the Quezon City trial courts which have the biggest case inflow because of its territory, the largest in the National Capital Judicial Region, and its population.

Pursuant to Memorandum Order No. 02-2011 dated January 7, 2011, the Supreme Court created the Ad Hoc Committee on the Proposed Practice Guidelines for Quezon City Courts (“the Committee”) which it tasked with the formulation of guidelines geared towards the promotion of speedy and effective disposal of cases.

To carry out its mandate, the Committee held consultations with the stakeholders: the Regional Trial Court and the Metropolitan Trial Court Judges of Quezon City, the Prosecutors of the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City, the Attorneys of the Public Attorney’s Office, District Office of Quezon City, and the members of the Quezon City Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, as well as its national leadership, separately, and at a general consultative forum last January 12, 2011, where a direct audience response poll was conducted to solicit immediate feedback and to determine a consensus among the participants regarding the proposals.

The results of the survey were disseminated at the forum. To secure further comments and suggestions on the proposed guidelines and based on these consultations, the Committee finalized the proposed guidelines which garnered overwhelming support from the stakeholders and which required no revision of the Rules of Court.

The progress of the Committee’s work, specifically, the results of the polling, was reported to the “Chief Justice Committee to Address Case Congestion and Delays in the Lower Courts” chaired by the Chief Justice, Honorable Renato C. Corona, with Associate Justice Roberto A. Abad as Working Chairperson. Individual sessions were held to consult with the Honorable Working Chairperson who thereafter endorsed the proposed guidelines to the Honorable Chief Justice for approval.

On February 21, 2012, the Supreme Court En Banc approved the Guidelines for Litigation in Quezon City Trial Courts which shall take effect on April 16, 2012.

In view thereof, all judges, clerks of court, branch clerks of court and docket clerks (civil and criminal) of the first and second level courts in Quezon City are enjoined to attend the orientation regarding1 the Guidelines for Litigation in Quezon City Trial Courts to be held on Friday, March 23, 2012, at Training Rooms A and B, Legislative Wing, 3rd Floor, Quezon City Hall, scheduled as follows:

I.    Judges    .    –         8:00A.M. to 12:00P.M.
II.    Clerks of Court, Branch Clerks      –    1:00P.M. to 5:00P.M.
of  Court   and   Docket  Clerks    . (civil and criminal)

March   16,  2012