Judges, court personnel who contracted COVID-19 to get financial aid

THE Supreme Court (SC) will provide financial assistance worth P15,000 to P50,000 to judges and court personnel who contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Considering that there are judges and court personnel of the first and second level courts who contracted COVID-19 while in the performance of their functions, there is a need to help them defray the hospitalization expenses incurred in treating (their) COVID-19 infection,” the SC said in a circular on Tuesday.

Those with mild to moderate and severe to critical illness will receive financial aid worth P15,000 and P30,000, respectively.

The families of judges and court personnel who died due to COVID-19 will receive P50,000. Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez said as of April 25, they have recorded 20 deaths out of 1,113 cases, “but not all 1,113 cases required hospitalization.” — Bianca Angelica D. Añago