MANILA - The consular offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble will start processing passport appointments postponed over strict lockdowns imposed in the area.

• Duterte extends MECQ in NCR Plus until May 14

This covers the Office of Consular Affairs in Aseana, Parañaque City and the offices in Antipolo in Rizal, Dasmariñas in Cavite, Malolos in Bulacan, and San Pablo in Laguna, which will operate under limited work hours and work force.

The DFA said it would start processing appointments originally scheduled from March 29 to April 5, 2021 - or those affected by the closures when the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was first imposed in the area.

The DFA took in appointments for emergency cases when the more relaxed modified ECQ (MECQ) was imposed last April.

• DFA suspends operations in Aseana, other consular officers

Those who booked their passport appointments from March 29 to 30 may expect their appointment dates to be revised to May 3 to 7. Meanwhile, those who booked their appointments for March 31 to April 5 may expect their appointment dates to be revised to May 10 to 14.

Passport applicants were advised to check their email for their specific appointment dates. Original time slots booked will be followed for every applicant except those scheduled from 3 to 4 p.m, who will be accommodated between 1 and 3 p.m of their revised passport appointment date.

Applicants in consular offices should wear face masks and face shields, and undergo temperature checks inside the premises.

Appointments scheduled for May 1 onwards will be rescheduled, according to the DFA, advising applicants to check their emails for the revised schedule.

Those who need to travel for emergency matters may request an earlier appointment by emailing their consular offices with the necessary documents.

SC extends court closures

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court extended the physical closure of all its courts and judicial offices in areas under ECQ and MECQ from May 3 until 14 - covering courts in the NCR Bubble, Quirino, Abra, and Santiago City in Isabela.

• SC extends physical closure of courts in areas under strict lockdown to April 30

JUST IN: Supreme Court extends physical closure of all courts, offices in NCR, Abra, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Quirino, Rizal, Santiago City in Isabela, other areas under localized ECQ and MECQ until May 14. Courts required to hold videoconference hearings in all cases. pic.twitter.com/qADfrCyKV6

— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) April 30, 2021

Courts in the affected areas shall continue to operate through "fully remote videoconferences," according to an administrative order released by the Supreme Court and signed by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.

These videoconferences should be done on urgent and non-urgent pending cases, and could be undertaken without permission from the Office of the Court Administrator.

Filing of pleadings and motions will remain suspended and shall resume 7 calendar days after the physical reopening of the affected court. Essential judicial offices shall maintain the necessary skeleton staff.

Courts and judicial offices under the more relaxed general and modified general community quarantine are required to physically open with a workforce of at least 25 percent.

Videoconferencing is allowed in the said areas. But justices and judges should remain "within their respective judicial territorial regions" and notify the Office of the Court Administrator "with respect to judges of the first and second level courts."

— With reports from Mike Navallo and Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News