Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta announced the suspension of work in all courts in the city of Manila for the feast of the Black Nazarene.

In a memorandum, the top magistrate said work is suspended at the Supreme Court, including the Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJA) and the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), Court of Appeals, Regional Trial Courts and the Metropolitan Trial Courts.

Peralta cited “the magnified traffic brought about by this annual event affecting areas nearby” for the work suspension and ordered that a skeletal force be provided by the Receiving Sections of the courts.

Employees in these offices who will render services on Thursday will be entitled to one-day compensatory time-off.

On Monday, Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso ordered the suspension of classes and work in the city government for the annual feast.

Through Executive Order No. 2 series of 2020, Domagoso ordered the suspension of classes for all levels in all universities, colleges, and schools in the city, as well as suspension of work for all offices under the local government except those involved in frontline services such as maintenance of peace and order. (PNA)