5/28/2020
E-Library - Information At Your Fingertips: Printer Friendly
748 Phil. 348
THIRD DIVISION
[ G.R. No. 166923, November 26, 2014 ]
PHILIPPINE MIGRANTS RIGHTS WATCH, INC., ON ITS OWN
BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ITS MEMBER-OVERSEAS FILIPINO
WORKERS, JESUS REYES AND RODOLFO MACOROL, PETITIONERS,
VS. OVERSEAS WORKERS WELFARE ADMINISTRATION AND ITS
BOARD OF TRUSTEES COMPOSED OF HON. PATRICIA A. STO.
TOMAS, VIRGILIO R. ANGELO, MANUEL G. IMSON, THE SECRETARY
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, REPRESENTED BY UNDERSECRETARY JOSE
S. BRILLANTES, ROSALINDA BALDOZ, THE SECRETARY OF BUDGET
AND MANAGEMENT, REPRESENTED BY ASSISTANT SECRETARY
EDUARDO P. OPIDA, MINA C. FIGUEROA, VICTORINO F. BALAIS,
CAROLINE R. ROGGE, GREGORIO S. OCA, CORAZON P. CARSOLA
AND VIRGINIA J. PASALO, RESPONDENTS.
DECISION
PERALTA, J.:
Before the Court is a petition for review under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court seeking to
reverse and set aside the Orders dated August 31, 2004[1] and January 14, 2005[2] of
the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pasay City, Branch CXI (111), in Civil Case No. 040077 dismissing the same for lack of jurisdiction.
The antecedent facts are as follows:
On September 19, 2003, respondent Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
(OWWA) issued Board Resolution No. 038[3] entitled the OWWA Omnibus Policies to
provide guidelines on matters concerning OWWA membership and its coverage,
collection of contributions, and availment of benefits.
On February 18, 2004, petitioners Philippine Migrants Rights Watch, Inc., on behalf of
its member-overseas Filipino workers, together with Jesus P. Reyes and Rodolfo B.
Macorol, returned overseas Filipino workers, filed a Complaint[4] before the RTC of
Pasay City seeking to annul the Omnibus Policies, specifically Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8
of Article II, Sections 5(C) (H) of Article III, and Articles IV, V, VI, VII,VIII, the
pertinent portions of which provide:
Article II
OWWA Mandate
xxxx
elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/58558
1/8