1987 Constitution Art. XIIILABORSection 3. The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, andpromote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all.It shall guarantee the rights of all workers to self-organization, collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including the right to strike in accordance with law. They shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions of work, and a living wage. They shall also participate in policy and decision-making processes affecting their rights and benefits as may be provided by law.The State shall promote the principle of shared responsibility between workers and employers and the preferential use of voluntary modes in settling disputes, including conciliation, and shall enforce their mutual compliance therewith to foster industrial peace.The State shall regulate the relations between workers and employers, recognizing the right of labor to its just share in the fruits of production and the right of enterprises to reasonable returns to investments, and to expansion and growth.Art. IISection 18. The State affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare.Art. IIISection 8. The right of the people, including those employed in the public and private sectors, to form unions, associations, or societies for purposes not contrary to law shall not be abridged.

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, AS AMENDEDA DECREE INSTITUTING A LABOR CODE THEREBY REVISING AND CONSOLIDATING LABOR AND SOCIAL LAWS TO AFFORD PROTECTION TO LABOR, PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND INSURE INDUSTRIAL PEACE BASED ON SOCIAL JUSTICEPRELIMINARY TITLEChapter IGENERAL PROVISIONSArt. 1. Name of Decree.This Decree shall be known as the "Labor Code of the Philippines".Art. 2. Date of effectivity.This Code shall take effect six (6) months after its promulgation.Art. 3. Declaration of basic policy.The State shall afford protection to labor, promote full employment, ensure equal work opportunities regardless of sex, race or creed and regulate the relations between workers and employers. The State shall assure the rights of workers to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane conditions of work.Art. 4. Construction in favor of labor.All doubts in the implementation and interpretation of the provisions of this Code, including its implementing rules and regulations, shall be resolved in favor of labor.Art. 5. Rules and regulations.The Department of Labor and other government agencies charged with the administration and enforcement of this Code or any of its parts shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations. Such rules and regulations shall become effective fifteen (15) days after announcement of their adoption in newspapers of general circulation.Art. 6. Applicability.All rights and benefits granted to workers under this Code shall, except as may otherwise be provided herein, apply alike to all workers, whether agricultural or non-agricultural.(As amended by Presidential Decree No. 570-A, November 1, 1974)

BOOK FIVELABOR RELATIONS

Title IPOLICY AND DEFINITIONS

Chapter IPOLICYArt. 211. Declaration of Policy.1. It is the policy of the State:1. To promote and emphasize the primacy of free collective bargaining and negotiations, including voluntary arbitration, mediation and conciliation, as modes of settling labor or industrial disputes;2. To promote free trade unionism as an instrument for the enhancement of democracy and the promotion of social justice and development;3. To foster the free and voluntary organization of a strong and united labor movement;4. To promote the enlightenment of workers concerning their rights and obligations as union members and as employees;5. To provide an adequate administrative machinery for the expeditious settlement of labor or industrial disputes;6. To ensure a stable but dynamic and just industrial peace; and7. To ensure the participation of workers in decision and policy-making processes affecting their rights, duties and welfare.2. To encourage a truly democratic method of regulating the relations between the employers and employees by means of agreements freely entered into through collective bargaining, no court or administrative agency or official shall have the power to set or fix wages, rates of pay, hours of work or other terms and conditions of employment, except as otherwise provided under this Code.(As amended by Section 3, Republic Act No. 6715, March 21, 1989)

Art. 275. Tripartism and tripartite conferences.1. Tripartism in labor relations is hereby declared a State policy. Towards this end, workers and employers shall, as far as practicable, be represented in decision and policy-making bodies of the government.2. The Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representatives may, from time to time, call a national, regional, or industrial tripartite conference of representatives of government, workers and employers for the consideration and adoption of voluntary codes of principles designed to promote industrial peace based on social justice or to align labor movement relations with established priorities in economic and social development. In calling such conference, the Secretary of Labor and Employment may consult with accredited representatives of workers and employers.(As amended by Section 32, Republic Act No. 6715, March 21, 1989)

Civil Code.SECTION 2. - Contract of Labor (n)

Art. 1700. The relations between capital and labor are not merely contractual. They are so impressed with public interest that labor contracts must yield to the common good. Therefore, such contracts are subject to the special laws on labor unions, collective bargaining, strikes and lockouts, closed shop, wages, working conditions, hours of labor and similar subjects.Art. 1701. Neither capital nor labor shall act oppressively against the other, or impair the interest or convenience of the public.Art. 1702. In case of doubt, all labor legislation and all labor contracts shall be construed in favor of the safety and decent living for the laborer.Art. 1703. No contract which practically amounts to involuntary servitude, under any guise whatsoever, shall be valid.

1987 ConstitutionArt. IX, B (The Civil Service Commission)Section 2. (1) The civil service embraces all branches, subdivisions, instrumentalities, and agencies of the Government, including government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters.(2) Appointments in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness to be determined, as far as practicable, and, except to positions which are policy-determining, primarily confidential, or highly technical, by competitive examination.(3) No officer or employee of the civil service shall be removed or suspended except for cause provided by law.(4) No officer or employee in the civil service shall engage, directly or indirectly, in any electioneering or partisan political campaign.(5) The right to self-organization shall not be denied to government employees.(6) Temporary employees of the Government shall be given such protection as may be provided by law.Labor CodeArt. 6. Applicability.All rights and benefits granted to workers under this Code shall, except as may otherwise be provided herein, apply alike to all workers, whether agricultural or non-agricultural.(As amended by Presidential Decree No. 570-A, November 1, 1974)Art. 276. Government employees.The terms and conditions of employment of all government employees, including employees of government-owned and controlled corporations, shall be governed by the Civil Service Law, rules and regulations. Their salaries shall be standardized by the National Assembly as provided for in the New Constitution. However, there shall be no reduction of existing wages, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment being enjoyed by them at the time of the adoption of this Code.