REVISING ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 71-2006 DATED SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 DIRECTING THE DESIGNATION OF A FOCAL PERSON AND AN ASSISTANT FOCAL PERSON FOR DESIGNATED FAMILY COURTS AND O…

WHEREAS, Administrative Circular No. 71-2006 issued
on September 7, 2006 directs the designation of a Focal Person and an
Assistant Focal Person who shall, in coordination with the Office of the
Court Administrator (OCA), handle administrative supervision over the
designated Family Courts and other Regional Trial Courts handling family
and youth cases; exercise administrative disciplinary authority over
the judges and personnel of these courts; and develop policies,
standards and strategies for their internal operations;

WHEREAS, discussions with the officials of the OCA
indicate that, through its organizational set-up, the Court
Administrator and the Deputy Court Administrators shall effectively
manage and supervise the Regional Trial Courts designated as Family
Courts and other Regional Trial Courts handling family and youth cases
within their respective regional areas of responsibility;

WHEREAS, the mandate of the Committee on Gender
Responsiveness in the Judiciary includes the formulation and development
of policies, standards and strategies relating to family, youth and
gender issues for implementation by the OCA and the lower courts and
that, therefore, the said Committee shall formulate policies geared
toward the effective administration of justice by the Family Courts and
other Regional Trial Courts handling family and youth cases;

WHEREAS, in pursuance of the streamlining efforts of
the Supreme Court and considering that the matters subject of
Administrative Circular No. 71-2006, such as the management and
supervision of said courts, are attended to and handled by the OCA,
there appears no necessity for the designation of Focal Persons.

NOW, TFIEREFORE, the Court hereby revises Administrative Circular No. 71-2006 dated September 7, 2006,
by designating the Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary
as the Focal Committee for the development of policies for the Family
Courts, which policies shall then be implemented by the OCA.

This Circular shall take effect immediately.

Issued this 10th day of July 2007.