Limiting Appeals from the Decisions of the Secretary of Labor to the Office of the President

January 21, 1975

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 245

TO : The Secretary of Labor

In accordance with the Labor Code of the Philippines, the decisions of the National Labor Relations Commission are appealable to the Secretary of Labor and in the last resort, to the President of the Philippines.

However, the experience of the past two years of the operation of Presidential Decree 21 shows that numerous cases that should otherwise terminate at the level of the NLRC and the Secretary of Labor are still appealed to the Office of the President to gain legal leverage usually at the expense of the weaker party — the workingman.

Therefore, and consistent with the policy of granting expeditious labor justice, the Secretary of Labor is hereby directed to devise a system for limiting appeals to the Office of the President so as to prevent undue delays in the administration of labor justice; Provided, That the President may at any time pass upon any decision of the Secretary of Labor upon his own initiative. casia

The Secretary of Labor is likewise hereby directed to constitute and organize an adequate staff which is hereby declared primarily technical and confidential, in the Office of the Secretary to assist him in the exercise of his appellate function. For this purpose, the Budget Commission is directed to release P300,000.00 out of the unprogrammed appropriations of the Department of Labor or any of its agencies.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 21st day of January, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Five.