Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Labor-Only Contracting in the Philippines: Rules, Risks, and Compliance
Labor-only contracting in the Philippines is prohibited. Learn how the Labor Code treats it, the risks employers face, and how to structure compliant arrangements.
Outsourcing Contracts in the Philippines: BPO Risk Allocation Guide
Learn how Philippine law allocates risk in BPO and outsourcing contracts, from data privacy rules on subcontracting to electronic contract validity.
Labor-Only Contracting in the Philippines: Employer Liability and Worker Rights
Understand labor-only contracting in the Philippines, when a principal becomes the true employer, and key lessons from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Labor-Only Contracting in the Philippines: Employer Responsibilities and Employee Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies labor-only contracting rules, employer liability, and employee rights in illegal dismissal cases involving contractors.
Labor-Only Contracting vs Legitimate Job Contracting: Key Distinctions and Employer Responsibilities
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between labor-only contracting and legitimate job contracting, and the employer liabilities that follow.
Unmasking Labor Only Contracting Regular Employment Rights Prevail
Supreme Court clarifies labor-only contracting rules, affirming that workers performing core tasks for a principal are regular employees entitled to full protection.
Independent Contractor or Employee? Supreme Court Clarifies Labor-Only Contracting in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a registered contractor is actually labor-only, making the principal the direct employer.
Regular vs. Project Employment: Key Insights from a Recent Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when fixed-term project employment is valid and how to distinguish a legitimate independent contractor from labor-only contracting.
Independent Contractor vs Labor-Only Contracting: Protecting Employee Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when a manpower agency is a labor-only contractor, making the principal the real employer and solidarity liable.
Stare Decisis and Employer Status in Labor Contracting Disputes
The Supreme Court applies stare decisis in labor contracting cases, reaffirming that Consolidated Building Maintenance, Inc. is a legitimate job contractor.
Work Conditions and Illness: Proving Increased Risk for Employee Compensation
Supreme Court clarifies that non-occupational illnesses are compensable if work conditions increased the risk of contracting them, requiring only substantial evidence.
Direct Contracting in Government Procurement: When Exemptions Lead to Liability
The Supreme Court clarifies when direct contracting in government procurement is allowed and when it leads to administrative liability for public officers.
Upholding Government Procurement Standards: The Duty of Bids and Awards Committees to Ensure Lawful Transactio
The Supreme Court clarifies that Bids and Awards Committees must justify direct contracting and cannot rely blindly on recommendations, ensuring lawful government procurement.
Challenging Labor Only Contracting: Regular Employment Rights Affirmed
Supreme Court affirms that DOLE registration alone does not prove legitimate job contracting; workers performing principal business tasks are regular employees.
Contractor or Employer: Defining the Boundaries of Labor-Only Contracting in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a contractor is a legitimate job contractor rather than a labor-only contractor, and who is the true employer.
Labor-Only Contracting in the Philippines: Employer Responsibilities and Employee Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when a contractor is a labor-only contractor, making the principal the real employer with full liability.
Labor-Only Contracting: When a Contractor Becomes a Mere Agent of the Employer
The Supreme Court clarifies labor-only contracting rules in Ortiz v. Forever Richsons, protecting regular employees from illegal dismissal.
Direct Contracting and Overpricing in Government Purchases: Lessons from Lee v. Sandiganbayan
The Supreme Court affirms the conviction of a governor for direct contracting and overpricing fertilizers, clarifying the limits of this procurement mode.
Navigating Labor Disputes: The Importance of Procedural Compliance in Philippine Employment Law
A look at Luces v. Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils., Inc., where the Supreme Court clarified labor-only contracting rules and the need for procedural compliance.
Fraudulent Debt and Writs of Attachment: Protecting Your Assets in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when a writ of preliminary attachment may issue based on alleged fraud in contracting a debt, and what sureties should know.
Labor Contracting in the Philippines: When a Contractor's Registration Is Not Enough
The Supreme Court clarifies when a registered contractor is actually a labor-only contractor, making the principal the true employer.
Lingnam Restaurant Case: Labor-Only Contracting Makes Principal the Employer
Supreme Court clarifies when a manpower agency is a labor-only contractor, making the client the true employer liable for illegal dismissal.
Contractor's Solidary Liability and Full Payment Defense in Subcontracting Agreements
When can a contractor be held liable for a subcontractor's unpaid debts? The Supreme Court explains solidary liability and the full payment defense.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: Determining Employer Status in Labor Disputes
Learn when courts pierce the corporate veil in labor cases and how legitimate job contracting differs from prohibited labor-only contracting.