POLICY ISSUE
The labor justice in the Philippines is embedded both in Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines and the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Article XIII, Section 3 of the Constitution stipulated the role of the State in protecting the workers and their rights at work. Whereas Articles 128 of the Labor Code of the Philippines underscore the visitorial and enforcement power of the Secretary of Labor and Employment and his/her duly authorized representative. Moreover, Article 129 of the Labor Code of the Philippines provided the Secretary of Labor and Employment or his/her duly authorized hearing officer with the power to hear and decide any matter involving the recovery of wages and other monetary claims. These provisions of the law ensures that the principles of rights at work will be observe at all times. To further strengthen its implementation, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) outlines the policies and guidelines for the country’s labor inspectorate system through Department and Administrative Orders.