1 Rollo, pp. 8-25. 2 Id., pp. 26-34. Penned by Justice Teodoro P. Regino and concurred in by Justices Delilah Vidallon-Magtolis (Division chair) and Josefina Guevara-Salonga (member). 3 Id., p. 35. 4 CA Decision, p. 8; rollo, p. 33. 5 Id., pp. 1-3 & 26-28. Citations omitted. 6 The case was deemed submitted for decision on August 9, 2004, upon this Court’s receipt of petitioners’ Memorandum, signed by Attys. Victor Pablo C. Trinidad and Charlo de la Costa Paredes. Respondent’s Memorandum, signed by Atty. Benito Ching Jr., was filed on July 16, 2004. 7 Petitioners’ Memorandum, p. 5; rollo, p. 182. Original in uppercase. 8 OSG’s Manifestation and Motion dated August 5, 2004, p. 3, rollo, p. 173. 9 Asia World Recruitment, Inc. v. NLRC, 371 Phil. 745, August 24, 1999; Hacienda Fatima v. National Federation of Sugarcane WorkersFood and General Trade, 396 SCRA 518, January 28, 2003; Tres Reyes v. Maxim’s Tea House, 398 SCRA 288, February 27, 2003. 10 Art. 279 of the Labor Code. Anderson v. NLRC, 252 SCRA 116, 126, January 22, 1996. 11 This law was approved on June 7, 1995. 12 Anderson v. NLRC, supra, p.126, January 22, 1996, per Mendoza, J. See also Teknika Skills and Trade Services, Inc. v. NLRC, 212 SCRA 132, August 4, 1992. 13 Respondent’s Memorandum, p. 2; rollo, p. 164. 14 CA rollo, p. 45. 15 Fuentes v. NLRC et al., GR No. 76835, November 24, 1988, 167 SCRA 767; see also Garcia v. NLRC et al., GR No. 67825, September 4, 1987, 153 SCRA 639. 16 248 SCRA 146, 152-153, September 8, 1995, per Regalado, J. 17 186 SCRA 724, June 22, 1990, per Cruz, J. 18 Galicia v. NLRC (Second Division), 276 SCRA 381, 387-388, July 28, 1997. 19 Ariola v. Philex, GR No. 147756, August 9, 2005, per Carpio, J. (citing De Leon v. NLRC, 100 SCRA 691, October 30, 1980). 20 PPA Employees Hired After July 1, 1989 v. Commission on Audit, GR No. 160396, September 6, 2005, per Panganiban, then acting CJ. Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT FIRST DIVISION