Tuesday, January 29, 2013

December 2012 Philippine Supreme Court Decisions on Civil Law | LEXOTERICA: A PHILIPPINE BLAWG

December 2012 Philippine Supreme Court Decisions on Civil Law | LEXOTERICA: A PHILIPPINE BLAWG

"x x x.


Here are select December 2012 rulings of the Supreme Court of the Philippines on civil law:
Civil Code
Damages; When Applicable. It is essential that for damages to be awarded, a claimant must satisfactorily prove during the trial that they have a factual basis, and that the defendant’s acts have a causal connection to them. Article 2229 of the Civil Code provides that exemplary damages may be imposed “by way of example or correction for the public good, in addition to the moral, temperate, liquidated or compensatory damages.” They are, however, not recoverable as a matter of right. They are awarded only if the guilty party acted in a wanton, fraudulent, reckless, oppressive or malevolent manner. Albert M. Ching, et al. vs. Felix M. Bantolo, et al.; G.R. No. 177086. December 5, 2012
Sale of Real Property; Must be in a Public Document; requirement only for convenience. Article 1358 of the Civil Code provides that acts and contracts which have for their object the transmission of real rights over immovable property or the sale of real property must appear in a public document. If the law requires a document or other special form, the contracting parties may compel each other to observe that form, once the contract has been perfected. In Fule v. Court of Appeals, the Court held that Article 1358 of the Civil Code, which requires the embodiment of certain contracts in a public instrument, is only for convenience, and registration of the instrument only adversely affects third parties. Formal requirements are, therefore, for the benefit of third parties. Non-compliance therewith does not adversely affect the validity of the contract nor the contractual rights and obligations of the parties thereunder. Lagrimas de Jesus Zamora v. Spouses Beatriz Zamora et al., G.R. No. 162930. December 5, 2012.
Unjust enrichment; reimbursement. It is well-established that equity as a rule will follow the law and will not permit that to be done indirectly which, because of public policy, cannot be done directly. Surely, a contract that violates the Constitution and the law is null and void, vests no rights, creates no obligations and produces no legal effect at all. Corollary thereto, under Article 1412 of the Civil Code, petitioner cannot have the subject properties deeded to him or allow him to recover the money he had spent for the purchase thereof. The law will not aid either party to an illegal contract or agreement; it leaves the parties where it finds them. Indeed, one cannot salvage any rights from an unconstitutional transaction knowingly entered into. Neither can the Court grant petitioner’s claim for reimbursement on the basis of unjust enrichment. As held in Frenzel v. Catito, a case also involving a foreigner seeking monetary reimbursement for money spent on purchase of Philippine land, the provision on unjust enrichment does not apply if the action is proscribed by the Constitution. Willem Beumer v. Avelina Amores, G.R. No. 195670. December 3, 2012.
Special Laws
Public Land Act; Five-year Prohibition for Alienation of Homestead Patent; Sale; Void Contract. To reiterate, Section 118 of the Public Land Act, as amended, reads that “[e]xcept in favor of the Government or any of its branches, units, or institutions, or legally constituted banking corporations, lands acquired under free patent or homestead provisions shall not be subject to encumbrance or alienation from the date of the approval of the application and for a term of five years from and after the date of issuance of the patent or grant x x x.” The provisions of law are clear and explicit. A contract which purports to alienate, transfer, convey, or encumber any homestead within the prohibitory period of five years from the date of the issuance of the patent is void from its execution. In a number of cases, this Court has held that such provision is mandatory. Alejandro Binayug and Ana Binayug vs. Eugenio Ugaddan, et al. G.R. No. 181623. December 5, 2012.
(Rose thanks Frances Yani P. Domingo for assisting in the preparation of this post.)
x x x."

Friday, January 25, 2013

A Dozen Steps to Help Your Firm Go Paperless

A Dozen Steps to Help Your Firm Go Paperless


"x x x.


Make a paperless plan, but don’t call it that. Using the word “paperless” makes lawyers break out into hives, according to Linares. Call it a “paper reduction project” or “cost savings experiment.” Your plan should look a lot like a document retention/destruction policy. Make sure you have accurate information about what you are required to keep, for how long and in what format. For example, can you convert a paper file into a digital file and still comply with retention rules related to your practice? What do you keep in paper format? What can you scan and destroy? What do you destroy? What do you send to the client for safekeeping?
Focus on a shift in firm culture. Technology training has to be key. Lawyers need to be experts in Word, Acrobat and other software. The problem with not understanding the full potential of these tools leads to a lack of creative thinking and problem solving.
Stop printing, but buy a new printer. Buy an expensive printer with costly toner; it will make you think twice about every line of ink you use. Institute a simple rule: If it came in digital, it stays in digital.
Get a desktop scanner. You can have large scanners in your office, but professional personnel should have a desktop scanner to make the process convenient and easy. Provide training and a proper place to file the scanned documents.
Put the plan into action. Start shredding, sending and scanning.
Convert paper to digital. Change subscriptions, newsletters and reports to the digital option. Deliver prebills as PDF files, and teach lawyers how to mark them up on their iPads or computers with Acrobat. Put your letterhead in digital format.
Get rid of the traditional fax machine. Convert to a desktop scanning solution (check out faxcompare.com).
Get Adobe Acrobat Standard; upgrade to Acrobat Pro if you need Bates stamping, redacting and form creation tools. Make sure you and your staff are well trained in the program.
Have a proper document management system that helps you easily save, store, search for and retrieve documents. (Check out NetDocuments for an example of a DMS designed for law firms.) Make sure everyone is trained on how the system works.
x x x."

Achieve Greater Results Through Concentrated Effort | Lawyernomics

Achieve Greater Results Through Concentrated Effort | Lawyernomics

"x x x.


In Addition to Social Media, I Recommend the Following as a “Launching Pad” for Your New Practice Area:

  1. Update your law firm’s website and create a page for the new practice area.
  2. Prepare and send a press release via electronic format and hard copy to all your clients and contacts.
  3. Update your AVVO profile and purchase advertising to promote the new practice area. Yes, to “jump start” your marketing efforts, you’ll need to purchase advertising.
  4. Consider purchasing key phrases, or “pay per click” (PPC) on major search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing to increase your visibility.
  5. Optimize your SEO to include the new practice area. You may need to hire an SEO specialist to assist you with this since the search engines change their algorithms frequently.
  6. Write and distribute a monthly newsletter to your current and former clients and colleagues to keep in touch and encourage referrals.
  7. Update your profile in Yahoo Local and Google Places.
  8. Update your profile in your local Bar Association directory. In some cases, you can add a new practice area in your profile for a nominal fee.
  9. Consider advertising in other online legal directories such as HG.org and Attorneypages.com. The more listings you have online, the greater your exposure.
  10. Subscribe to the Q&A for AVVO and answer relevant questions in the practice area. This is a free service offered by AVVO and it is very effective.
  11. Write a legal guide and add it to your blog.
  12. Create a YouTube web channel and add 30- to 60- second videos in your practice area. You can do these from your office and upload them on the spot. x x x."

5 Ways to Get More Clients in 2013 | Lawyernomics by Avvo.com

5 Ways to Get More Clients in 2013 | Lawyernomics by Avvo.com

"x x x.


1. Make marketing your priority. The primary objective of your business is the marketing of your professional services; your secondary objective is then the delivery of those services. Most attorneys have it backwards.
Simply because you may deliver excellent service and provide enormous value, clients do not automatically knock your doors down.
The key to building a long term, solid practice is the quality and consistency of your marketing much more than the actual delivery of your services. Working on your business is much more important than working in your business.
2. Choose positioning over prospecting. Positioning is building up your reputation so that prospects come to you. Those who position themselves correctly can pick and choose clients, whereas prospectors hustle and struggle to get clients.  Start positioning yourself as the “go-to” person for legal solutions by sharing your valuable knowledge, expertise, and education with prospects.
3. Use education-based marketing to attract new clients. This is the process used by industry leading service professionals to attract and enroll highly qualified prospects by giving them what they want, not by selling or promoting.
The key is to look for opportunities to create and give your information away, which in turn will position you as the expert. As a result, you will create a powerful magnet to pull clients to you.
4. Design, create and give away information products to generate leads. Many highly successful attorneys are avid writers and producers of information products. In terms of positioning, creating an information product will attract highly qualified prospects that view you as an expert in your field, and as a result, will pay top dollar to work with you.
5. Become a specialist, not a generalist. This is a big one. Highly successful attorneys are specialists at one thing. When people think of that one thing, the specialist comes to mind. Prospects who want that one thing will pay top dollar for the specialist.
Stephen Fairley

About 

Stephen Fairley is the CEO of The Rainmaker Institute, the nation's largest law firm marketing company specializing in lead conversion for small law firms and solo practitioners. Over 8,000 attorneys nationwide have benefited from learning and implementing the proven marketing and lead conversion strategies taught by The Rainmaker Institute. In addition, Stephen is a nationally recognized law firm marketing expert and international best-selling author.
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JURIST - Paper Chase: Philippines congress approves bill granting compensation to human rights victims

JURIST - Paper Chase: Philippines congress approves bill granting compensation to human rights victims

"x x x.

Philippines congress approves bill granting compensation to human rights victims 
Matthew Pomy at 10:25 AM ET

Photo source or description
[JURIST] The Congress of the Philippines on Thursday approved a bill on its second reading allocating 10 billion pesos (USD $246 million) for the victims of human rights abuses committed by the regime of former president Ferdinand Marcos [JURIST news archive]. Approximately 10,000 people can claim compensation [Reuters report] based on abuses that took place between when Marcos instated martial law in 1972 until he was overthrown in 1986. Should the bill be passed by a plenary session of Congress on Monday and signed into law by current President Benigno Aquino III, an independent body would be established to distribute the funds to those claiming to have suffered abuse.

The Philippines has struggled in terms of addressing human rights issues from the Marcos regime to as recently as the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre [CSM backgrounder; JURIST news archive] and the resulting political controversies. Earlier this month a150-day ban on guns [JURIST report] was instituted to prevent election violence. In December the Philippine Congress officially criminalized [JURIST report] enforced disappearances, which were commonly used during the Marcos era. In NovemberAmnesty International [advocacy website] called on the Philippines to do more toprotect witnesses [JURIST report] in the Maguindanao Massacre trial. Also in November the Philippines Supreme Court denied the media[JURIST report] the right to broadcast that trial.

x  x x."

JURIST - Paper Chase: Seventh Circuit strikes down sex offender social networking ban

JURIST - Paper Chase: Seventh Circuit strikes down sex offender social networking ban

"x x x.

Seventh Circuit strikes down sex offender social networking ban 
Matthew Pomy at 1:58 PM ET

Photo source or description
[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit [official website] on Wednesday struck down [opinion, PDF] an Indiana law[text] that prohibits sex offenders from joining social networking websites, such as Facebook and other websites children are able to join. The law makes it a crime for a registered sex offender to be a member of a "social networking" site defined as a site that facilitates the introduction of persons, allows a person to create a personal profile and provides the opportunity for communication between persons. The court determined that the law targeted free speech and thus deserved careful scrutiny. In the opinion, Judge Joel Flaum wrote:
Though content neutral, we conclude that the Indiana law is not narrowly tailored to serve the state's interest. It broadly prohibits substantial protected speech rather than specifically targeting the evil of improper communications to minors. ... Subsequent Indiana statutes may well meet this requirement, but the blanket ban on social media in this case regrettably does not.
The court also noted Indiana already has measures in place that prohibit sex offenders from contacting minors.The rights of convicted sex offenders have been the subject of many constitution-based lawsuits. In October a California resident sued [JURIST report] four Orange County cities over sex offender ordinances. In August a federal appeals court struck down[JURIST report] the Indiana sex offender registry saying it violated due process. In January the US Supreme Court [official website] ruled 7-2 [JURIST report] that people who were convicted of sex offenses before the enactment of the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act [final guidelines, PDF] did not have to register under the act until the attorney general validly specified that the provisions applied to them. A few days earlier, a federal appeals court struck down [JURIST report] a city ordinance that banned sex offenders from libraries in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

x x x."

JURIST - Paper Chase: Philippines takes South China Sea dispute to UN tribunal

JURIST - Paper Chase: Philippines takes South China Sea dispute to UN tribunal

"x x x.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Philippines takes South China Sea dispute to UN tribunal 
Peter Snyder at 11:19 AM ET

Photo source or description
[JURIST] The Philippines on Tuesday notified China that it is seeking international arbitration [press release] to declare Chinese claims to the majority of the South China Sea illegal and invalid. PhilippinesForeign Secretary Albert del Rosario [official website] stated in a press conference the country's intent to bring China before an Arbitral Tribunal under Article 287 and Annex VII of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) [text]. In his statement, Rosario noted:
The Philippines has exhausted almost all political and diplomatic avenues for a peaceful negotiated settlement of its maritime dispute with China. On numerous occasions, dating back to 1995, the Philippines has been exchanging views with China to peacefully settle these disputes. To this day, a solution is still elusive. We hope that the Arbitral Proceedings shall bring this dispute to a durable solution.
The Philippines hopes arbitration will bring China in line with UNCLOS, as well as force it to desist from hostile activities that violate the rights of the Philippines to have sovereignty in their own territorial domains. The Notification and Statement of Claims [text, PDF] filed by the Philippines notes Chinese escalation in interference with Philippines maritime rights. It cites China's July decision [NYT report] to place the entire disputed maritime region under the authority of the Chinese province of Hainan and its passage of a law requiring foreign vessels to obtain Chinese permission before entering the disputed region.

China claims nearly the entire 3.5 million square-kilometer South China Sea, a region believed to be rich in oil and minerals. China has come into territorial conflict over the region in the past not only with the Philippines [JURIST comment], but also with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The Philippines and China were involved in a two month stand-off [Al Jazeera report] that started last April around the Scarborough Shoal, a small cluster of uninhabitable islands 220km off the coast of the Philippines which, according to international maritime law, fall into the Philippines' economic zone. The standoff was triggered when Chinese vessels blocked the Philippine navy from arresting Chinese fishermen for alleged illegal fishing activities within the Philippines' exclusive economic zones.
 x x x."

Secure the courts well

A few yrs ago at RTC 199 Las Pinas, MM, a seaman, facing a marriage annulment suit, shot dead his estranged wife and her lady lawyer inside the courtroom before the hearing started. The recent similar incident in the Cebu hall of justice revives the issue of hopelessness of litigants, who, due to the poor performance of the criminal justice system, are forced to take the law into their own hands. Even as we call for judicial/legal reforms, we urge the Supreme Court to install X-ray machines and metal detectors in all halls of justice and to create and adequately fund a Special Judicial Security Force that is truly professional, well-trained and competent, following the model security system of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Republic Act No. 10361 | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines

see  -  Republic Act No. 10361 | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines


"x x x.


[REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10361]
AN ACT INSTITUTING POLICIES FOR THE PROTECTION
AND WELFARE OF DOMESTIC WORKERS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
ARTICLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Domestic Workers Act” or “Batas Kasambahay”.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. – It is hereby declared that:
(a) The State strongly affirms labor as a primary social force and is committed to respect, promote, protect and realize the fundamental principles and rights at work including, but not limited to, abolition of child labor, elimination of all forms of forced labor, discrimination in employment and occupation, and trafficking in persons, especially women and children;
(b) The State adheres to internationally accepted working conditions for workers in general, and establishes labor standards for domestic workers in particular, towards decent employment and income, enhanced coverage of social protection, respect for human rights and strengthened social dialogue;
(c) The State recognizes the need to protect the rights of domestic workers against abuse, harassment, violence, economic exploitation and performance of work that is hazardous to their physical and mental health; and
(d) The State, in protecting domestic workers and recognizing their special needs to ensure safe and healthful working conditions, promotes gender-sensitive measures in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs affecting the local domestic work.
SEC. 3. Coverage. – This Act applies to all domestic workers employed and working within the country.
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the term:
(a) Debt bondage refers to the rendering of service by the domestic worker as security or payment for a debt where the length and nature of service is not clearly defined or when the value of the service is not reasonably applied in the payment of the debt.
(b) Deployment expenses refers to expenses that are directly used for the transfer of the domestic worker from place of origin to the place of work covering the cost of transportation. Advances or loans by the domestic worker are not included in the definition of deployment expenses.
(c) Domestic work refers to work performed in or for a household or households.
(d) Domestic worker or “Kasambahay” refers to any person engaged in domestic work within an employment relationship such as, but not limited to, the following: general househelp, nursemaid or “yaya”, cook, gardener, or laundry person, but shall exclude any person who performs domestic work only occasionally or sporadically and not on an occupational basis.
The term shall not include children who are under foster family arrangement, and are provided access to education and given an allowance incidental to education, i.e. “baon”, transportation, school projects and school activities.
(e) Employer refers to any person who engages and controls the services of a domestic worker and is party to the employment contract.
(f) Household refers to the immediate members of the family or the occupants of the house that are directly provided services by the domestic worker.
(g) Private Employment Agency (PEA) refers to any individual, legitimate partnership, corporation or entity licensed to engage in the recruitment and placement of domestic workers for local employment.
(h) Working children, as used under this Act, refers to domestic workers who are fifteen (15) years old and above but below eighteen (18) years old.
ARTICLE II
RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES
SEC. 5. Standard of Treatment. – The employer or any member of the household shall not subject a domestic worker or “kasambahay” to any kind of abuse nor inflict any form of physical violence or harassment or any act tending to degrade the dignity of a domestic worker.
SEC. 6. Board, Lodging and Medical Attendance. – The employer shall provide for the basic necessities of the domestic worker to include at least three (3) adequate meals a day and humane sleeping arrangements that ensure safety.
The employer shall provide appropriate rest and assistance to the domestic worker in case of illnesses and injuries sustained during service without loss of benefits.
At no instance shall the employer withdraw or hold in abeyance the provision of these basic necessities as punishment or disciplinary action to the domestic worker.
SEC. 7. Guarantee of Privacy. – Respect for the privacy of the domestic worker shall be guaranteed at all times and shall extend to all forms of communication and personal effects. This guarantee equally recognizes that the domestic worker is obliged to render satisfactory service at all times.
SEC. 8. Access to Outside Communication. – The employer shall grant the domestic worker access to outside communication during free time:Provided, That in case of emergency, access to communication shall be granted even during work time. Should the domestic worker make use of the employer’s telephone or other communication facilities, the costs shall be borne by the domestic worker, unless such charges are waived by the employer.
SEC. 9. Right to Education and Training. – The employer shall afford the domestic worker the opportunity to finish basic education and may allow access to alternative learning systems and, as far as practicable, higher education or technical and vocational training. The employer shall adjust the work schedule of the domestic worker to allow such access to education or training without hampering the services required by the employer.
SEC. 10. Prohibition Against Privileged Information. – All communication and information pertaining to the employer or members of the household shall be treated as privileged and confidential, and shall not be publicly disclosed by the domestic worker during and after employment. Such privileged information shall be inadmissible in evidence except when the suit involves the employer or any member of the household in a crime against persons, property, personal liberty and security, and chastity.
ARTICLE III
PRE-EMPLOYMENT
SEC. 11. Employment Contract. – An employment contract shall be executed by and between the domestic worker and the employer before the commencement of the service in a language or dialect understood by both the domestic worker and the employer. The domestic worker shall be provided a copy of the duly signed employment contract which must include the following:
(a) Duties and responsibilities of the domestic worker;
(b) Period of employment;
(c) Compensation;
(d) Authorized deductions;
(e) Hours of work and proportionate additional payment;
(f) Rest days and allowable leaves;
(g) Board, lodging and medical attention;
(h) Agreements on deployment expenses, if any;
(i) Loan agreement;
(j) Termination of employment; and
(k) Any other lawful condition agreed upon by both parties.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall develop a model employment contract for domestic workers which shall, at all times, be made available free of charge to domestic workers, employers, representative organizations and the general public. The DOLE shall widely disseminate information to domestic workers and employers on the use of such model employment contract.
In cases where the employment of the domestic worker is facilitated through a private employment agency, the PEA shall keep a copy of all employment contracts of domestic workers and shall be made available for verification and inspection by the DOLE.
SEC. 12. Pre-Employment Requirement. – Prior to the execution of the employment contract, the employer may require the following from the domestic worker:
(a) Medical certificate or a health certificate issued by a local government health officer;
(b) Barangay and police clearance;
(c) National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance; and
(d) Duly authenticated birth certificate or if not available, any other document showing the age of the domestic worker such as voter’s identification card, baptismal record or passport.
However, Section 12(a), (b), (c) and (d) shall be standard requirements when the employment of the domestic worker is facilitated through the PEA.
The cost of the foregoing shall be borne by the prospective employer or agency, as the case may be.
SEC. 13. Recruitment and Finder’s Fees. – Regardless of whether the domestic worker was hired through a private employment agency or a third party, no share in the recruitment or finder’s fees shall be charged against the domestic worker by the said private employment agency or third party.
SEC. 14. Deposits for Loss or Damage. – It shall be unlawful for the employer or any other person to require a domestic worker to make deposits from which deductions shall be made for the reimbursement of loss or damage to tools, materials, furniture and equipment in the household.
SEC. 15. Prohibition on Debt Bondage. – It shall be unlawful for the employer or any person acting on behalf of the employer to place the domestic worker under debt bondage.
SEC. 16. Employment Age of Domestic Workers. – It shall be unlawful to employ any person below fifteen (15) years of age as a domestic worker. Employment of working children, as defined under this Act, shall be subject to the provisionsof Section 10(A), paragraph 2 of Section 12-A, paragraph 4 of Section 12-D, and Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7610, as amended, otherwise known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act”.
Working children shall be entitled to minimum wage, and all benefits provided under this Act.
Any employer who has been sentenced by a court of law of any offense against a working child under this Act shall be meted out with a penalty one degree higher and shall be prohibited from hiring a working child.
SEC. 17. Employer’s Reportorial Duties. – The employers shall register all domestic workers under their employment in the Registry of Domestic Workers in the barangay where the employer’s residence is located. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall, in coordination with the DOLE, formulate a registration system for this purpose.
SEC. 18. Skills Training, Assessment and Certification. – To ensure productivity and assure quality services, the DOLE, through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), shall facilitate access of domestic workers to efficient training, assessment and certification based on a duly promulgated training regulation.
ARTICLE IV
EMPLOYMENT – TERMS AND CONDITIONS
SEC. 19. Health and Safety. – The employer shall safeguard the health and safety of the domestic worker in accordance with laws, rules and regulations, with due consideration of the peculiar nature of domestic work.
SEC. 20. Daily Rest Period. – The domestic worker shall be entitled to an aggregate daily rest period of eight (8) hours per day.
SEC. 21. Weekly Rest Period. – The domestic worker shall be entitled to at least twenty-four (24) consecutive hours of rest in a week. The employer and the domestic worker shall agree in writing on the schedule of the weekly rest day of the domestic worker: Provided, That the employer shall respect the preference of the domestic worker as to the weekly rest day when such preference is based on religious grounds. Nothing in this provision shall deprive the domestic worker and the employer from agreeing to the following:
(a) Offsetting a day of absence with a particular rest day;
(b) Waiving a particular rest day in return for an equivalent daily rate of pay;
(c) Accumulating rest days not exceeding five (5) days; or
(d) Other similar arrangements.
SEC. 22. Assignment to Nonhousehold Work. – No domestic worker shall be assigned to work in a commercial, industrial or agricultural enterprise at a wage rate lower than that provided for agricultural or nonagricultural workers. In such cases, the domestic worker shall be paid the applicable minimum wage.
SEC. 23. Extent of Duty. – The domestic worker and the employer may mutually agree for the former to temporarily perform a task that is outside the latter’s household for the benefit of another household. However, any liability that will be incurred by the domestic worker on account of such arrangement shall be borne by the original employer. In addition, such work performed outside the household shall entitle the domestic worker to an additional payment of not less than the existing minimum wage rate of a domestic worker. It shall be unlawful for the original employer to charge any amount from the said household where the service of the domestic worker was temporarily performed.
SEC 24. Minimum Wage. – The minimum wage of domestic workers shall not be less than the following:
(a) Two thousand five hundred pesos (P2,500.00) a month for those employed in the National Capital Region (NCR);
(b) Two thousand pesos (P2,000.00) a month for those employed in chartered cities and first class municipalities; and
(c) One thousand five hundred pesos (P1,500.00) a month for those employed mother municipalities.
After one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, and periodically thereafter, the Regional Tripartite and Productivity Wage Boards (RTPWBs) shall review, and if proper, determine and adjust the minimum wage rates of domestic workers.
SEC 25. Payment of Wages. – Payment of wages shall be made on time directly to the domestic worker to whom they are due in cash at least once a month. The employer, unless allowed by the domestic worker through a written consent, shall make no deductions from the wages other than that which is mandated by law. No employer shall pay the wages of a domestic worker by means of promissory notes, vouchers, coupons, tokens, tickets, chits, or any object other than the cash wage as provided for under this Act.
The domestic worker is entitled to a thirteenth month pay as provided for by law.
SEC. 26. Pay Slip. – The employer shall at all times provide the domestic worker with a copy of the pay slip containing the amount paid in cash every pay day, and indicating all deductions made, if any. The copies of the pay slip shall be kept by the employer for a period of three (3) years.
SEC. 27. Prohibition on Interference in the Disposal of Wages. – It shall be unlawful for the employer to interfere with the freedom of any domestic worker to dispose of the latter’s wages. The employer shall not force, compel or oblige the domestic worker to purchase merchandise, commodities or other properties from the employer or from any other person, or otherwise make use of any store or services of such employer or any other person.
SEC 28. Prohibition Against Withholding of Wages. – It shall be unlawful for an employer, directly or indirectly, to withhold the wages of the domestic worker. If the domestic worker leaves without any justifiable reason, any unpaid salary for a period not exceeding fifteen (15) days shall be forfeited. Likewise, the employer shall not induce the domestic worker to give up any part of the wages by force, stealth, intimidation, threat or by any other means whatsoever.
SEC. 29. Leave Benefits. – A domestic worker who has rendered at least one (1) year of service shall be entitled to an annual service incentive leave of five (5) days with pay: Provided, That any unused portion of said annual leave shall not be cumulative or carried over to the succeeding years. Unused leaves shall not be convertible to cash.
SEC. 30. Social and Other Benefits. – A domestic worker who has rendered at least one (1) month of service shall be covered by the Social Security System (SSS), the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG, and shall be entitled to all the benefits in accordance with the pertinent provisions provided by law.
Premium payments or contributions shall be shouldered by the employer. However, if the domestic worker is receiving a wage of Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) and above per month, the domestic worker shall pay the proportionate share in the premium payments or contributions, as provided by law.
The domestic worker shall be entitled to all other benefits under existing laws.
SEC. 31. Rescue and Rehabilitation of Abused Domestic Workers. – Any abused or exploited domestic worker shall be immediately rescued by a municipal or city social welfare officer or a social welfare officer from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in coordination with the concerned barangay officials. The DSWD and the DILG shall develop a standard operating procedure for the rescue and rehabilitation of abused domestic workers, and in coordination with the DOLE, for possible subsequent job placement.
ARTICLE V
POST EMPLOYMENT
SEC. 32. Termination of Service. – Neither the domestic worker nor the employer may terminate the contract before the expiration of the term except for grounds provided for in Sections 33 and 34 of this Act. If the domestic worker is unjustly dismissed, the domestic worker shall be paid the compensation already earned plus the equivalent of fifteen (15) days work by way of indemnity. If the domestic worker leaves without justifiable reason, any unpaid salary due not exceeding the equivalent fifteen (15) days work shall be forfeited. In addition, the employer may recover from the domestic worker costs incurred related to the deployment expenses, if any: Provided, That the service has been terminated within six (6) months from the domestic worker’s employment.
If the duration of the domestic service is not determined either in stipulation or by the nature of the service, the employer or the domestic worker may give notice to end the working relationship five (5) days before the intended termination of the service.
The domestic worker and the employer may mutually agree upon written notice to pre-terminate the contract of employment to end the employment relationship.
SEC. 33. Termination Initiated by the Domestic Worker. – The domestic worker may terminate the employment relationship at any time before the expiration of the contract for any of the following causes:
(a) Verbal or emotional abuse of the domestic worker by the employer or any member of the household;
(b) Inhuman treatment including physical abuse of the domestic worker by the employer or any member of the household;
(c) Commission of a crime or offense against the domestic worker by the employer or any member of the household;
(d) Violation by the employer of the terms and conditions of the employment contract and other standards set forth under this law;
(e) Any disease prejudicial to the health of the domestic worker, the employer, or member/s of the household; and
(f) Other causes analogous to the foregoing.
SEC. 34. Termination Initiated by the Employer. – An employer may terminate the services of the domestic worker at any time before the expiration of the contract, for any of the following causes:
(a) Misconduct or willful disobedience by the domestic worker of the lawful order of the employer in connection with the former’s work;
(b) Gross or habitual neglect or inefficiency by the domestic worker in the performance of duties;
(c) Fraud or willful breach of the trust reposed by the employer on the domestic worker;
(d) Commission of a crime or offense by the domestic worker against the person of the employer or any immediate member of the employer’s family;
(e) Violation by the domestic worker of the terms and conditions of the employment contract and other standards set forth under this law;
(f) Any disease prejudicial to the health of the domestic worker, the employer, or member/s of the household; and
(g) Other causes analogous to the foregoing.
SEC. 35. Employment Certification. – Upon the severance of the employment relationship, the employer shall issue the domestic worker within five (5) days from request a certificate of employment indicating the nature, duration of the service and work performance.
ARTICLE VI
PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES
SEC. 36. Regulation of Private Employment Agencies (PEAs). – The DOLE shall, through a system of licensing and regulation, ensure the protection of domestic workers hired through the PEAs.
The PEA shall be jointly and severally liable with the employer for all the wages, wage-related benefits, and other benefits due a domestic worker.
The provision of Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, otherwise known as the “Labor Code of the Philippines”, on qualifications of the PEAs with regard to nationality, networth, owners and officers, office space and other requirements, as well as nontransferability of license and commission of prohibited practices, shall apply.
In addition, PEAs shall have the following responsibilities:
(a) Ensure that domestic workers are not charged or levied any recruitment or placement fees;
(b) Ensure that the employment agreement between the domestic worker and the employer stipulates the terms and conditions of employment and all the benefits prescribed by this Act;
(c) Provide a pre-employment orientation briefing to the domestic worker and the employer about their rights and responsibilities in accordance with this Act;
(d) Keep copies of employment contracts and agreements pertaining to recruited domestic workers which shall be made available during inspections or whenever required by the DOLE or local government officials;
(e) Assist domestic workers with respect to complaints or grievances against their employers; and
(f) Cooperate with government agencies in rescue operations involving abused or exploited domestic workers.
ARTICLE VII
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
SEC. 37. Mechanism for Settlement of Disputes. – All labor-related disputes shall be elevated to the DOLE Regional Office having jurisdiction over the workplace without prejudice to the filing of a civil or criminal action in appropriate cases. The DOLE Regional Office shall exhaust all conciliation and mediation efforts before a decision shall be rendered.
Ordinary crimes or offenses committed under the Revised Penal Code and other special penal laws by either party shall be filed with the regular courts.
ARTICLE VIII
SPECIAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 38. Information Program. – The DOLE shall, in coordination with the DILG, the SSS, the PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG develop and implement a continuous information dissemination program on the provisions of this Act, both at the national and local level, immediately after the enactment of this law.
SEC. 39. “Araw Ng Mga Kasambahay”. – The date upon which the President shall approve this “Domestic Workers Act” shall be designated as the “Araw ng mga Kasambahay”.
ARTICLE IX
PENAL AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SEC. 40. Penalty. – Any violation of the provisions of this Act declared unlawful shall be punishable with a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) but not more than Forty thousand pesos (P40,000.00) without prejudice to the filing of appropriate civil or criminal action by the aggrieved party.
SEC. 41. Transitory Provision; Non-Diminution of Benefits. – All existing arrangements between a domestic worker and the employer shall be adjusted to conform to the minimum standards set by this Act within a period of sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That adjustments pertaining to wages shall take effect immediately after the determination and issuance of the appropriate wage order by the RTWPBs:Provided, further, That nothing in this Act shall be construed to cause the diminution or substitution of any benefits and privileges currently enjoyed by the domestic worker hired directly or through an agency.
SEC. 42. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Labor and Employment, the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, and the Director General of the Philippine National Police, in coordination with other concerned government agencies and accredited nongovernment organizations (NGOs) assisting domestic workers, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
ARTICLE X
FINAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 43. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 44. Repealing Clause. – All articles or provisions of Chapter III (Employment of Househelpers) of Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended and renumbered by Republic Act No. 10151 are hereby expressly repealed. All laws, decrees, executive orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 45. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,
(Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR.Speaker of the House
of Representatives
(Sgd.) JUAN PONCE ENRILEPresident of the Senate
This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 78 and House Bill No. 6144 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on November 27, 2012 and November 26, 2012, respectively.
(Sgd.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAPSecretary General
House of Representatives
(Sgd.) EMMA LIRIO-REYESSecretary of the Senate
Approved: JAN 18 2013
(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO IIIPresident of the Philippines

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