July 29, 2013

OCA CIRCULAR NO. 99-13

WHEREAS, in the Resolution dated 21 February 2012 in en banc "(r)esolved to APPROVE the

WHEREAS, paragraph F of the Practice Guidelines provides that the Practice Guidelines "shall take effect on April 16, 2012, after its publication for two consecutive weeks in two newspapers of general circulation in the country and after posting for one month at all floors of the Hall of Justice of Quezon City, including at the Offices of the Clerks of Court of the Regional Trial Court and the Metropolitan Trial Court;"

WHEREAS, there is nothing in the Practice Guidelines that provides for the duration of its effectivity;

WHEREAS, paragraph E (b) of the Practice Guidelines in part provides that "at the end of the 12th month from such date of effectivity, the Committee (on the Proposed Practice Guidelines for Quezon City Courts) shall prepare and submit a Final Report on the project to the Supreme Court;"

WHEREAS, it is difficult to fully assess the effectiveness of the Practice Guidelines within a short span of time considering that the cases covered were only filed after 16 April 2012, and many of these cases are still at their preliminary stages, e.g., exchange of pleadings and pre-trial;

WHEREAS, the Committee (on the Proposed Practice Guidelines for Quezon City Courts) is constrained to request for an extension of six (6) months from 16 April 2013, or until 16 October 2013 within which to submit its Final Report to the Supreme Court;

WHEREAS, in the meantime, there is a need to clarify whether the Practice Guidelines shall continue to remain in force and effect, pending the submission of the Final Report by the Committee and the subsequent action of the Court thereon;

WHEREAS, the continuous effectivity of the Practice Guidelines, pending the submission of the Final Report and the subsequent action of the Court thereon, is favorable for a more expeditious resolution of cases.

NOW THEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, the Practice

For strict compliance. TEAcCD

(SGD.) JOSE MIDAS P. MARQUEZ
Court Administrator