Vacancy in the office of the punong barangay
Dear PAO, Our hardworking barangay chairperson is contemplating stepping down from his position. He has been serving our barangay ever since he was a tanod when he was still in his 20s. Now a senior citizen, he said that while he feels fulfilled, he is already tired and will definitely resign if the elections will […]
Money muling is a prohibited act
Dear PAO, My eldest sibling, who is not very familiar with online transactions, was allegedly enticed to register an account in GCash to be bought/leased by another person. According to him, the offer is quite lucrative. As such, he told the person that he would think about the matter and would consult his relatives, who […]
Prohibition of vaping in gas stations
Dear PAO, Last week, I needed to refuel my car, and I noticed a man vaping within the gas station premises. I know about the prohibition on smoking in gas stations, but is there also a prohibition on vaping? Beatriz Dear Beatriz, The State, in its goal to protect public health, has institutionalized strategies to […]
Denial of support must be intended to cause emotional anguish to be considered psychological abuse under Section 5 (i) of RA 9262
Dear PAO,My best friend wants to file a complaint for emotional and psychological abuse against the illegitimate father of her child because of the latter’s failure to provide adequate support. Her son has special needs and requires weekly therapy sessions. My best friend’s meager income simply cannot meet all their needs, especially for the child’s […]
Principle of promissory estoppel | The Manila Times
Dear PAO, I have a question regarding the money claims of my brother against the company where he worked for almost 20 years. He resigned involuntarily because the president and CEO told him that the company had suffered losses due to a lack of market demand and significant debts caused by a market downturn. At […]
Government agency authorized to confiscate driver’s license
Dear PAO, I have been a public utility jeepney driver for a long time in Metro Manila. I have heard on the radio a declaration of one politician that only the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has the sole power to confiscate a driver’s license in case of a traffic violation. I have been apprehended multiple […]
Anyone can be a victim of gender-based sexual harassment
Dear PAO, Since childhood, I have known that I have a different sexual orientation, which is noticeable in my clothing preferences, language and behavior. Roger, my neighbor, always hurls sexist slurs at me whenever I pass by the street near his house. I have complained about his ill-treatment, but my concerns have fallen on deaf […]
Filipino sign language | The Manila Times
Dear PAO, I am a government employee, and I have co-workers who are deaf. They usually communicate through writing and sign language. I was told that they primarily use English sign language as a means of communication. I am curious, is there no Filipino sign language? Elijah Dear Elijah, The Philippine government puts a high […]
Employees without fiduciary duties cannot be dismissed for loss of trust and confidence
Dear PAO, I worked as a landscaper for a real estate developer. The marketing department directed me to canvass the prices of plants or ornamentals for a project site. They reasoned that transporting the plants from our head office to the project site was too costly; thus, for this particular project, it was more economical […]
Doctrine of command responsibility | The Manila Times
Dear PAO,My friend was apprehended for a crime. The apprehending officers allegedly extorted a certain amount from him in exchange for his freedom. My friend was released after paying the money, but he wants to file an appropriate criminal case against the members of the arresting team, including all of their officers. I told my […]