Title
Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. vs. Drilon
Case
G.R. No. 81958
Decision Date
Jun 30, 1988
The Supreme Court upheld Department Order No. 1, ruling it a valid exercise of police power to protect female overseas workers from abuse, dismissing claims of discrimination, right to travel violations, and non-impairment clause breaches.

Case Digest (G.R. No. 81958)
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model

Facts:

  • Parties and Proceedings
    • Petitioner: Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI), engaged principally in the recruitment of Filipino workers for overseas placement.
    • Respondents: Hon. Franklin M. Drilon, Secretary of Labor and Employment; Tomas D. Achacoso, Administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
    • Nature of Action: Petition for certiorari and prohibition challenging Department Order No. 1, Series of 1988 (“Guidelines Governing the Temporary Suspension of Deployment of Filipino Domestic and Household Workers”).
  • Challenged Measure and Background
    • Department Order No. 1:
      • Temporarily suspends deployment of Filipino female domestic helpers and workers of similar skills.
      • Provides exemptions for hirings by certain diplomatic, governmental, and bilateral-agreement employers; allows returning workers under existing contracts; sets criteria for lifting the suspension.
    • Procedural History:
      • Petition filed alleging discrimination, violation of right to travel, improper exercise of legislative power, lack of worker participation, and breach of non-impairment clause.
      • Solicitor General’s Comment: On March 8, 1988, the Secretary of Labor lifted the ban in ten countries (e.g., Iraq, Canada, U.S.); by June 14, 1988, five more (e.g., Australia, West Germany).
  • Grounds of Challenge
    • Discrimination between sexes and limited application to domestic helpers.
    • Violation of the constitutional right to travel.
    • Invalid exercise of police power by the executive branch and improper delegation of legislative authority.
    • Failure to consult workers as required by Article XIII, Section 3 of the Constitution.
    • Violation of the Charter’s non-impairment clause and causing irreparable injury to members.

Issues:

  • Whether Department Order No. 1 is a valid exercise of police power under the Constitution.
  • Whether the classification of female domestic workers violates the equal protection clause.
  • Whether the Order unlawfully restricts the right to travel.
  • Whether the executive order improperly exercises legislative power or exceeds delegated rule-making authority.
  • Whether the Order contravenes the worker-participation guarantee and the non-impairment clause.

Ruling:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Ratio:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Doctrine:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

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