Title
Aliviado vs. Procter and Gamble Philippines, Inc.
Case
G.R. No. 160506
Decision Date
Mar 9, 2010
Petitioners, P&G merchandisers via contractors, claimed illegal dismissal. SC ruled SAPS as labor-only contractor, making P&G their employer; Promm-Gem legitimate. Dismissals illegal; P&G liable for damages, back wages, and reinstatement.

Case Digest (G.R. No. 229490)
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model

Facts:

  • Parties and Background
    • Petitioners – Eighty (80) individuals engaged as merchandising personnel handling Procter & Gamble Phils., Inc. (P&G) products from as early as 1982 to 1992–1993.
    • Respondents – P&G (principal), Promm-Gem, Inc. (contractor), and Sales and Promotions Services (SAPS, contractor).
  • Employment and Procedural History
    • Engagement
      • Petitioners individually signed 5-month contracts with Promm-Gem or SAPS to promote and merchandise P&G products in various outlets.
      • Wages, discipline, and dismissal power were exercised by Promm-Gem or SAPS; uniforms and materials were supplied by them.
    • Labor Complaints
      • December 1991 – Petitioners filed for regularization, service incentive leave pay, benefits, and damages; later amended to include claims of illegal dismissal.
      • Labor Arbiter (Nov. 29, 1996) dismissed complaint against P&G for lack of employer-employee relationship.
      • National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) (Jul. 27, 1998) affirmed Labor Arbiter; denied reconsideration.
      • Court of Appeals (CA) (Mar. 21, 2003) affirmed NLRC with modification ordering P&G to pay service incentive leave pay; denied CA reconsideration (Oct. 20, 2003).
    • Supreme Court Petition – Petitioners questioned CA’s findings on employer status, illegal dismissal, and entitlement to damages and fees.

Issues:

  • Whether P&G is the employer of petitioners
  • Whether petitioners were illegally dismissed
  • Whether petitioners are entitled to actual, moral and exemplary damages, litigation costs, and attorney’s fees

Ruling:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Ratio:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Doctrine:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Analyze Cases Smarter, Faster
Jur helps you analyze cases smarter to comprehend faster—building context before diving into full texts.