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FOREWORD

Since its promulgation in 1974, Presidential
Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines has
endured a long line of amended, superseded, repealed,
and inserted provisions brought about by subsequent
laws.

In 2011, Congress enacted Republic Act No. 10151,
the Employment of Night Workers, Thereby Repealing Articles 130 and 131 of
which renumbered subsequent Labor Code provisions and
inserted a new chapter on Employment of Night Workers. This development
convinced the Department of Labor and Employment to issue an official
renumbered Labor Code to reflect all amendments, note all repeals, and cross-
reference all superseded provisions with related labor laws. Provisions expressly
repealed by previous laws are still duly noted for reference.

This handbook considers the most recent amendments brought about
by R.A. No. 10395, ; An Act
Strengthening Conciliation-Mediation as a Voluntary Mode of Dispute
Settlement for All Labor Cases; and R.A. No. 10644, As
guide, we also gave due consideration to the latest decisions of the Supreme
Court of the Philippines citing renumbered Labor Code provisions. To our
delight, the renumbering provided for in DOLE Department Advisory No. 01,
Series of 2015 has received legislative approval in R.A. No. 10741 (2016),
Act Strengthening the Operations of the NLRC.

Despite all the updates, this work endeavors to faithfully retain the text
of the original Labor Code, with notes concerning the new terms and names
pertaining to DOLE offices and agencies, where appropriate.

It is our sincerest hope that this handbook will serve as an important and
easily accessible tool in sustaining our efforts towards better understanding of
labor laws by providing a comprehensive, up-to-date, and user-friendly
reference material for students, law practitioners, and the general public.

ROSALINDA DIMAPILIS-BALDOZ
Secretary