[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 74-2008, July 29, 2008 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 74-2008, July 29, 2008 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 74-2008, July 29, 2008 ]

TO:

ALL CONCERNED JUDGES AND CLERKS OF COURT

SUBJECT:

CLARIFICATION ON THE COVERAGE AND EXTENT OF THE PARTICIPATION OF JUDGES AND MUNICIPAL COURT INFORMATION OFFICERS (MCIOs) IN THE ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR THE POOR PROJECT AS RESOURCE PERSONS TO TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS.

WHEREAS, under the Access to Justice for the Poor Projects Component I: Institutionalization of the Decentralized Information Function of the Judiciary and Training of Municipal Judges and Court Personnel, selected Clerks of Court as Municipal Court Information Officers (MCIOs) shall engage in information, education, and communication activities;

WHEREAS, the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Guidelines for MCIOs approved by the Court En Banc in A.M. No. 05-2-01-SC dated March 13, 2007, provided the MCIOs with specific standards of conduct regarding disclosure of and access to court information;

WHEREAS, the MCIOs have been receiving invitations from the following partner agencies: the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to give lectures on their training on Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC);

WHEREAS, the IEC Guidelines for MCIOs does not mention the coverage and extent of the participation of judges and MCIOs when they are invited as resource persons to trainings and workshops.

WHEREFORE, the participation of the Judges and MCIOs in the Access to Justice for the Poor Project as resource persons to trainings and workshops shall be as follows:

1) the Judges, because of their academic preparation, training and experience shall act as resource persons on issues concerning the law, the legal system, the administration of justice or related matters pursuant to Canon 4 Section 10 of the En Banc Resolution dated April 27, 2004 in A.M. No. 03- 05-01-SC Re: New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary, and

2) the MCIOs shall act as resource persons on what are the available IEC materials on access to justice by the poor and vulnerable groups especially women and children in accordance with the IEC Guidelines for MCIOs.

For strict compliance

July __ 29 __, 2008.

JOSE P. PEREZ

Court Administrator