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.
Understanding Compromise Agreements in Labor Disputes: When Are They Valid
The Supreme Court clarifies when compromise agreements and quitclaims in labor cases are valid, and when courts may invalidate them.
Third-Party Claims in Labor Disputes: Protecting Assets from Wrongful Levy
Learn how the Supreme Court protects third-party asset owners from wrongful levy in labor dispute executions, and the proper remedies available.
Constructive Dismissal and Contract Ambiguity: Lessons from Esico v. Alphaland
The Supreme Court's ruling in Esico v. Alphaland clarifies constructive dismissal claims and the consequences of ambiguous employment contracts.
Indispensable Parties in Labor Cases: Lessons from TESDA v. Abragar
Learn why impleading all indispensable parties is critical in labor disputes, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in TESDA v. Abragar.
Employee Termination for Unauthorized Absences: Lessons from a Landmark Philippine Case
Learn how Philippine courts handle employee termination for unauthorized absences and what employers must prove to avoid illegal dismissal claims.
Proving Illegal Dismissal: The Burden of Substantial Evidence in Philippine Labor Cases
Learn how the Supreme Court defines the employee's burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases, based on the Jarabelo ruling.
Backwages After a Return-to-Work Order: Lessons from ALECO v. ALEO
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when backwages are due after the Labor Secretary assumes jurisdiction over a strike and issues a return-to-work order.
Executing a Labor Judgment Does Not Bar Certiorari: Due Process in Labor Disputes
Forced compliance with a writ of execution does not waive an employer's right to challenge a labor ruling via certiorari, the Supreme Court held.
Plagiarism in Academia: Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of UE Professors for Misrepresentation
Supreme Court upholds dismissal of professors for plagiarism, misrepresentation, and breach of trust, clarifying stare decisis and waiver rules.
Business Closure vs Illegal Dismissal: Navigating Employee Rights in the Philippines
When is a resignation forced? Learn how Philippine labor law distinguishes voluntary resignation from illegal dismissal, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
When Business Downturns Lead to Employee Layoffs: Understanding Retrenchment Under Philippine Law
Learn the legal rules on retrenchment in the Philippines, including valid grounds, procedural requirements, and worker protections.
Protecting Marital Assets When Corporate Debt Cannot Seize Family Property
Supreme Court ruling on when corporate debts cannot reach family property, and the proper remedy for third-party claims in labor execution.
Voluntary Arbitration vs. Labor Arbiter: Philippine Labor Dispute Jurisdiction
When does voluntary arbitration prevail over Labor Arbiter jurisdiction? The Supreme Court clarifies in University of the Immaculate Conception v. NLRC.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Parent Companies Face Liability for Labor Violations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when parent companies can be held liable for subsidiaries' labor violations, explained for employees and businesses.
Conditional Settlement Agreements: Are They Binding in Philippine Labor Disputes?
The Supreme Court ruled on whether a "conditional" settlement of a labor judgment award is valid and binding, and its effect on pending appeals.
Illegal Strikes and Reinstatement: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities in Labor Disputes
Philippine law on illegal strikes and reinstatement: what workers and employers must know about protected concerted activity and its limits.
Gender Equality in Retirement: Challenging Discriminatory Collective Bargaining Agreements
When can a flight attendant challenge a discriminatory retirement age in court? The Supreme Court clarifies jurisdiction over CBA provisions.
Jurisdictional Boundaries Resolving Labor Disputes Involving Government Chartered Corporations
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that labor disputes in government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters fall under the Civil Service Commission, not the NLRC.
Suspension of Claims Against Corporations Under Rehabilitation: Philippine Law Explained
Learn how corporate rehabilitation suspends all claims, including labor cases, under Philippine law, based on the PAL v. Zamora ruling.
Prescription Periods in Labor Disputes: Why Filing on Time and in the Right Court Matters
A Supreme Court ruling on prescription of money claims in labor cases, and why filing in the wrong court can be fatal.
Jurisdiction vs Exercise of Jurisdiction: Upholding Court Authority Despite Procedural Errors
The Supreme Court clarifies that jurisdiction over labor cases persists despite procedural lapses, and rules on retirement age, CBA benefits, and tax refund claims.
Strikes and Due Process: Balancing Labor Rights and Employer Prerogatives in the Philippines
Explore how Philippine labor law balances workers' right to strike against employer prerogatives, with due process at the core.
GOCC vs. Private Corporation: Labor Jurisdiction and the Philippine National Red Cross Case
Learn how the Supreme Court's charter test determines whether an employer is a GOCC and which tribunal—CSC or NLRC—has jurisdiction over labor disputes.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor: The Four-Fold Test Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court's ruling in Corporal v. NLRC clarifies when workers are true employees, not independent contractors, under Philippine labor law.