In accordance with the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations for 2022-2027, the Supreme Court, through A.M. No. 10-3-7-SC and A.M. No. 11-9-4-SC, has approved the guidelines for electronic submission of pleadings, court submissions, and accompanying documents in cases governed by the revised Rules of Civil Procedure before the lower courts. By 5 April 2024, the primary mode for filing in civil proceedings shall be by electronic transmittal before the following Courts:

• Court of Appeals
• Sandiganbayan
• Court of Tax Appeals
• First- and second-level courts (lower courts)

This digital transformation represents the movement towards a technology-driven Judiciary, as well as an effort to aid the public in transitioning to electronic court processes, to reduce the use of paper, and to facilitate the timely and fair administration of justice.

On Submission

• Pleadings must be submitted in Portable Document Format (“PDF”) by litigants and court users to the official email address of the court where the case is pending.
  • A directory of the official e-mail addresses of the lower courts maintained by the Supreme Court of the Philippines is available at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/court-locator/.
• The court’s permission, however, must first be secured for the electronic transmittal of the following:
  • Initiatory pleadings and initial responsive pleadings;
  • Annexes, appendices, exhibits, or other accompanying documents not readily amenable to digitization to PDF; and
  • Sealed and confidential documents or records.
• In the absence of the court’s permission, paper copies shall be required.
• If the Rules require personal filing, registered mail, or accredited courier, as the primary manner of filing, the PDF copies must be transmitted within 24 hours from the filing of the paper copy.

On Date and Time of Filing

• In cases where the Rules provide for personal filing, registered mail, or accredited courier, the pleading or court submission shall be deemed to have been filed on the date of filing of the paper copy, and not at the time of electronic transmittal.
• Where the primary manner of filing is through electronic transmittal, the date and time of the electronic submission shall be considered the date and time of filing. Further, the subsequent submission of a paper copy shall be dispensed with.

On Electronic File Format

• The PDF copy of the primary pleading or court submission must be separated from the electronic copies in PDF of any accompanying additional documents, each of which must be contained in their own PDF files.

On Email Address of Record

• The signing party or counsel must indicate their valid and professional e-mail address, which shall be their email address of record. All filings by electronic transmittal must be through the filing party’s or counsel’s address of record.
• The email address must be able to send and receive e-mails from other senders.
• If an electronic transmittal is not made through an official address of record, the entire transmittal will be deemed as not having been filed.
• Counsel and parties have the obligation to monitor the inboxes of their e-mail address of record with the courts regularly and diligently.

All e-mail transmittals must adhere to the format specified in the guidelines.

If the primary manner of filing is through electronic transmission, the form and substance of the contents of the PDF copy, as first filed, shall govern. In case the pleading, court submission, or any accompanying document has been filed personally, by registered mail, or by accredited courier, the PDF copy to be transmitted should be the exact copy of the filed paper copy. Should there be discrepancies, the court, on motion or motu proprio and after notice and hearing, may impose an appropriate sanction or refer such finding to the proper office for disciplinary action on the lawyer, law firm, or party responsible for the filing.