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740 PHIL. 403
EN BANC
[ G.R. No. 170139, August 05, 2014 ]
SAMEER OVERSEAS PLACEMENT AGENCY, INC., PETITIONER, VS.
JOY C. CABILES, RESPONDENT.
DECISION
LEONEN, J.:
This case involves an overseas Filipino worker with shattered dreams. It is our duty,
given the facts and the law, to approximate justice for her.
We are asked to decide a petition for review[1] on certiorari assailing the Court of
Appeals’ decision[2] dated June 27, 2005. This decision partially affirmed the National
Labor Relations Commission’s resolution dated March 31, 2004,[3] declaring
respondent’s dismissal illegal, directing petitioner to pay respondent’s three-month
salary equivalent to New Taiwan Dollar (NT$) 46,080.00, and ordering it to reimburse
the NT$3,000.00 withheld from respondent, and pay her NT$300.00 attorney’s fees.[4]
Petitioner, Sameer Overseas Placement Agency, Inc., is a recruitment and placement
agency.[5] Responding to an ad it published, respondent, Joy C. Cabiles, submitted her
application for a quality control job in Taiwan.[6]
Joy’s application was accepted.[7] Joy was later asked to sign a one-year employment
contract for a monthly salary of NT$15,360.00.[8] She alleged that Sameer Overseas
Agency required her to pay a placement fee of P70,000.00 when she signed the
employment contract.[9]
Joy was deployed to work for Taiwan Wacoal, Co. Ltd. (Wacoal) on June 26, 1997.[10]
She alleged that in her employment contract, she agreed to work as quality control for
one year.[11] In Taiwan, she was asked to work as a cutter.[12]
Sameer Overseas Placement Agency claims that on July 14, 1997, a certain Mr. Huwang
from Wacoal informed Joy, without prior notice, that she was terminated and that “she
should immediately report to their office to get her salary and passport.”[13] She was
asked to “prepare for immediate repatriation.”[14]
Joy claims that she was told that from June 26 to July 14, 1997, she only earned a total
of NT$9,000.[15] According to her, Wacoal deducted NT$3,000 to cover her plane ticket
to Manila.[16]
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