New edition of Labor Code book off the press

MANILA, Philippines - The 2009-2010 edition of The Labor Code of the Philippines and Its Implementing Rules and Regulations with appendices of the latest Department of Labor and Employment issuances and recent laws is now off the press. Copies of the new edition are available at the leading book stores in the country.

Important appendices are the dissertation “Flight Attendants and Stewards Association v. Philippine Airlines: Revisiting Rules on Retrenchment and Termination for Authorized Causes” by Atty. Francis V. Sobreviñas, a professorial lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Law; “Abstracts of Selected Supreme Court Decisions in Labor Law” by Atty. Vicente B. Foz, publisher-editor of the book under the business name “Philippine Law Gazette”; and “Answers to Questions on Employee Status, Wages, Benefits and Related Issues”, employer-employee queries to the Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) and responses by Director Brenda L. Villafuerte.

Villafuerte, a Career Executive Officer (CESO) III, has been serving as Director IV of BWC since June 2005. She finished her bachelor of arts, magna cum laude, and bachelor science in education, cum laude, bachelor of laws and master in public administration at the Ateneo de Davao University. She was a grantee of a scholarship program in public administration at the Ateneo de Davao University and a micro enterprise development AusAid Program in the University of Tasmania, Australia.

Sobreviñas obtained his bachelor of science degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, and bachelor of laws, University of the Philippines; and master of laws, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA. He finished postgraduate studies in law, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and received a postgraduate research award, University of Tasmania, Australia. He is managing partner of the Sobreviñas Hayudini Navarro & San Juan law office. He was assistant attorney, associate attorney, and partner, of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz law office, in 1974-1977, 1977-1981, and 1981-1986.

He is editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Philippine Association on Voluntary Arbitration; past president, Philippine Association on Voluntary Arbitration (PAVA); former editor-in-chief, Journal of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; member, Philippine Bar Association; ASEAN Law Association; lecturer, UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations and UP Law Center Institute of Judicial Administration; faculty member, Human Resource Management Development Center, Personnel Management Association of the Philippines; accredited voluntary arbitrator, National Conciliation and Mediation Board; and former director, Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) for four terms.

 Foz was an examiner in labor law and social legislation in the 1978, 1985 and 1991 bar examination committes of the Supreme Court; and a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission which framed the 1987 Constitution, serving as chairman of its committee on constitutional commissions and agencies. During the deliberations on what eventually became the provision “They (the workers) shall also participate in policy and decision-making processes affecting their rights and benefits as may be provided by law.”, he raised questions that provoked discussions to clarify the provision’s scope and intent.

Foz is an NCMB-accredited voluntary arbitrator and a PAVA member. He was a member of the board of editors, IBP Journal, 1999-2002; member, PAVA Journal board of editors, 1990-2000, 2000-2002; former editor, IBP Newsletter; head executive assistant, Office of Chairman Alberto Veloso, National Labor Relations Commission, 1972-1974; former consultant, Commission on Elections, program development staff, University of the Philippines Office of the President, and Yomiuri Shimbun Manila Bureau; and former director, Public Information and Media Relations Office, Senate of the Philippines.       

He served as editor of the Philippine Panorama, Sunday magazine of Manila Bulletin, 1990-1992; columnist-senior staff member, Manila Bulletin, 1981-1992; reporter, Times Journal, 1977-1981 and Manila Times, 1963-1972; managing editor, The Tribune, 1973-1974; reporter, Evening News, 1954-1960; and reporter-announcer, Chronicle Broadcasting Network, 1961-1964. He obtained his bachelor of arts degree, major in political science from the University of the East in 1956 and bachelor of laws, UE, and passed the bar exam in 1971. He was a member of the UE political science and law faculties, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines business law faculty.