[ ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 35 - 2005, July 26, 2005 ]

[ ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 35 - 2005, July 26, 2005 ]

[ ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 35 - 2005, July 26, 2005 ]

EXTENSIVE ORIENTATION PROGRAM ON THE NEW CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT FOR THE PHILIPPINE JUDICIARY AND THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR COURT PERSONNEL

WHEREAS, on 1 June 2004 the New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary and the Code of Conduct for Court Personnel took effect;

WHEREAS, these Codes must govern the conduct of judges and court personnel, respectively;

WHEREAS, it is thus necessary that an effective extensive orientation and immersion program on these Codes be pursued and carried out through seminars-workshops.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA), the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), the Program Management Office (PMO), and Office of Administrative Services (OAS) of the Supreme Court are hereby directed to work together, coordinate, and prepare a consolidated seminar-workshop program to ensure that before August 2006 all judges and court personnel shall have already attended a seminar-workshop on the New Code of Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary and the Code of Conduct for Court Personnel. To attain this objective

1. The PHILJA shall include orientation or immersion sessions on the Codes as a special component of its regular Regional Judicial Career Enhancement Program; and if this would prove to be less effective, it should conduct lectures on the Codes by province or group of provinces.

2. The OAS of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the PMO, should complete the orientation program on the Codes for the officials and personnel of the Supreme Court, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), the OCA, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), and the PHILJA.

3. The Presiding Justices of the Court of Appeals, the Sandiganbayan, and the Court of Tax Appeals, through their respective Clerks of Court, shall coordinate with the PHILJA, OAS, and the PMO of the Supreme Court for the conduct of seminars-workshops on the Codes for their officials and personnel to be completed before 31 December 2005.

4. For the conduct of these seminars-workshops, the PHILJA, the PMO, and the OAS of the Supreme Court are enjoined to tap the expert lecturers on the Codes, such as Court of Appeals Justice Jose C. Sabio, retired Court of Appeals Justices Hector Hofilena and Hilarion Aquino, Deputy Court Administrator Jose P. Perez, and officials from the pool of lecturers formed by the OAS headed by Atty. Ma. Carina C. Cunanan.

The funding for the seminars-workshops on the Codes shall be charged against the P25 million appropriation granted by the Court to the PHILJA if sponsored by the latter; the WB-JRSP loan and other grants received by the Court through the PMO for the purpose; or against the respective regular appropriations for seminars and conferences of the Supreme Court and the lower courts, the Court of Appeals, the Sandiganbayan, and the Court of Tax Appeals, as the case may be.

For the effective implementation of this Administrative Circular, the abovementioned offices shall submit a schedule of seminars-workshops for the period from August to December 2005 and from January to July 2006.

This Administrative Circular shall take effect upon its issuance.

Issued this 26th day of July 2005.

(Sgd.) HILARIO G. DAVIDE, JR.

Chief Justice

Copy furnished:

Office of the Chief Justice Offices of the Associate Justices Office of the Presiding Justice, Coiut of Appeals Office of the Presiding Justice, Sandiganbayan Office of the Presiding Justice, Court of Tax Appeals Office of the Court Administrator Offices of the Deputy Court Administrators Offices of the Assistant Court Administrators Office of the Clerk of Court, En Bane Office of the Clerk of Court, First Division Office of the Clerk of Court, Second Division Office of the Clerk of Court, Third Division Philippine Judicial Academy Judicial and Bar Council Office of Administrative Services, SC Fiscal Management and Budget Office Office of the Chief Attorney Office of the Reporter Office of the Bar Confidant Judicial Records Office Management Information Systems Office Medical Services Printing Services Library Services Public Information Office Program Management Office Committee on Halls of Justice Office of Administrative Services, OCA Financial Management Office, OCA Court Management Office, OCA Legal Office, OCA Records Control Division