[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 45-2019, March 21, 2019 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 45-2019, March 21, 2019 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 45-2019, March 21, 2019 ]

TO : ALL JUDGES AND CLERKS OF COURT OF THE FIRST LEVEL COURTS

SUBJECT : AMENDMENTS TO SECTIONS 2 AND 8 OF A.M. NO. 08-8-7-SC OR THE REVISED RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR SMALL CLAIMS CASES

In accordance with the 26 February 2019 Resolution in A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC or The Revised Rules of Procedure for Small Claims Cases, the Court En Banc RESOLVED to AMEND Sections 2 and 8 of the Revised Rules of Procedure for Small Claims Cases, the full text of which is reproduced as follows:

Section 2. Scope. - These Rules shall govern procedure in actions before the Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTCs), Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCCs), Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs) and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MTCTs) for payment of money where the value of the claim does not exceed the jurisdictional amount of these courts under Republic Act No. (R.A.) 7691 (Four Hundred Thousand Pesos [P400,000.00] for the MeTCs and Three Hundred Thousand Pesos [P300,000.00] for the MTCCs, MTCs, and MCTCs), exclusive of interest and costs.

x x x x

Section 8. Joinder of Claims. Plaintiff may join in a single statement of claim one or more separate small claims against a defendant provided that the total amount claimed, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed the jurisdictional amount of the concerned court under R.A. 7691 (Four Hundred Thousand Pesos [P400,000.00] for the MeTCs and Three Hundred Thousand Pesos [P300,000.00] for the MTCCs, MTCs, and MCTCs). (Amendments in bold)

The appropriate Small Claims Forms are likewise amended to reflect the increased threshold amount of P400,000.00 for the MeTCs.

The amendments to Sections 2 and 8 of the Revised Rules of Procedure for Small Claims Cases were published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Manila Bulletin on 15 March 2019, and the same will take effect on 1 April 2019.

Strict compliance is enjoined.

21 March 2019

(SGD.) JOSE MIDAS P. MARQUEZ Court Administrator