5/28/2020 E-Library - Information At Your Fingertips: Printer Friendly effect of removing awards for reimbursement of placement fees from Circular No. 799’s coverage. The same cannot be said for awards of salary for the unexpired portion of the employment contract under Republic Act No. 8042. These awards are covered by Circular No. 799 because the law does not provide for a specific interest rate that should apply. In sum, if judgment did not become final and executory before July 1, 2013 and there was no stipulation in the contract providing for a different interest rate, other money claims under Section 10 of Republic Act No. 8042 shall be subject to the 6% interest per annum in accordance with Circular No. 799. This means that respondent is also entitled to an interest of 6% per annum on her money claims from the finality of this judgment. IV Finally, we clarify the liabilities of Wacoal as principal and petitioner as the employment agency that facilitated respondent’s overseas employment. Section 10 of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 provides that the foreign employer and the local employment agency are jointly and severally liable for money claims including claims arising out of an employer-employee relationship and/or damages. This section also provides that the performance bond filed by the local agency shall be answerable for such money claims or damages if they were awarded to the employee. This provision is in line with the state’s policy of affording protection to labor and alleviating workers’ plight.[136] In overseas employment, the filing of money claims against the foreign employer is attended by practical and legal complications. The distance of the foreign employer alone makes it difficult for an overseas worker to reach it and make it liable for violations of the Labor Code. There are also possible conflict of laws, jurisdictional issues, and procedural rules that may be raised to frustrate an overseas worker’s attempt to advance his or her claims. It may be argued, for instance, that the foreign employer must be impleaded in the complaint as an indispensable party without which no final determination can be had of an action.[137] The provision on joint and several liability in the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 assures overseas workers that their rights will not be frustrated with these complications. The fundamental effect of joint and several liability is that “each of the debtors is liable for the entire obligation.”[138] A final determination may, therefore, be achieved even if elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/57319 20/39