private respondents at least 5 times in the years 1977, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 in recognition of his above-average performance as ship officer. On the other hand, petitioner Lagda qualified for the Merit Pay Program for 3 consecutive years, i.e., in 1986, 1987 and 1988, likewise, in view of his above-average performance. Petitioner Millares further contends that public respondent NLRC committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction when it failed to rule that private respondents should pay actual damages in the amount of P770,000.00 for having wrongfully caused his name to be placed in the POEA watchlist.17[17] Such wrongful act allegedly prevented petitioner Millares from leaving the Philippines to report on time to his new employer, NAESS Shipping Corporation. Anent petitioner, public respondent failed to consider the evidence presented by petitioner Millares on this issue. Finally, petitioners aver that public respondent erred in not granting them moral and exemplary damages, as well as attorneys fees and costs of litigation. At this juncture, it is worthy to note that the Solicitor General, in his Manifestation and Motion in Lieu of Comment, manifested that he is not opposing the instant petition and that he, in fact, finds the contentions of petitioners meritorious in part. Article 280 of the Labor Code, as amended, defines regular employment as follows: Art. 280. Regular and casual employment. - The provisions of written agreement to the contrary notwithstanding and regardless of the oral agreement of the parties, an employment shall be deemed to be regular where the employee has been engaged to perform activities which are usually necessary or desirable in the usual business or trade of the employer, except where the employment has been fixed for a specific project or undertaking the completion or termination of which has been determined at the time of the engagement of the employee or where the work or services to be performed is seasonal in nature and the employment is for the duration of the season. An employment shall be deemed to be casual if it is not covered by the preceding paragraph. Provided, That, any employee who has rendered at least one year of service, whether such service is continuous or broken, shall be considered a regular employee with respect to the activity in which he is employed and his employment shall continue while such activity exists. The primary standard to determine a regular employment is the reasonable connection between the particular activity performed by the employee in relation to the usual 17[17] Rollo, p. 85.