QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Commissioners of the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission promulgated En Banc Resolution No. 1 on 01 June 2020 authorizing the use of videoconferencing and other online or electronic means in the conduct of hearings, conferences, conciliation, and mediation proceedings as well as the lifting of the suspension of the running of prescriptive periods for the filing of complaints, appeals, and other pleadings for areas under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) or Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

The conduct of hearing, conciliation and mediation conferences may be done through videoconferencing or other online and electronic means, at the discretion of the Regional Adjudicator handling the case, if both parties of the case manifest their agreement to the conduct of such.

Parties are also given the option to forego with the conduct of hearing and proceed with the submission of position papers provided that both parties agree to such arrangement.

The said resolution also set guidelines if an area will revert to ECQ or MECQ wherein all hearings and conferences will be suspended until further notice and prescriptive periods will be interrupted.

Furthermore, it lifts the suspension of the running of prescriptive periods for the filing of complaints, petitions, motions, pleadings, and other submissions with the Commission and its Regional Adjudication Branches that are placed under General Community Quarantine or Modified General Community Quarantine.