REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7730  - AN ACT FURTHER STRENGTHENING THE VISITORIAL AND ENFORCEMENT POWERS OF THE SECRETARY OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE 128 (b) OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NUMBERED FOUR HUNDRED FORTY-TWO AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Section 1.    Paragraph (b) of Article 128 of the Labor Code, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows: 

"Art. 128.    Visitorial and Enforcement Power. —

"(b)    Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 129 and 217 of this Code to the contrary, and in cases where the relationship of employer-employee still exists, the Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representatives shall have the power to issue compliance orders to give effect to the labor standards provisions of this Code and other labor legislation based on the findings of labor employment and enforcement officers or industrial safety engineers made in the course of inspection.  The Secretary or his duly authorized representatives shall issue writs of execution to the appropriate authority for the enforcement of their orders, except in cases where the employer contests the findings of the labor employment and enforcement officer and raises issues supported by documentary proofs which were not considered in the course of inspection.

"An order issued by the duly authorized representative of the Secretary of Labor and Employment under this article may be appealed to the latter.  In case said order involves a monetary award, an appeal by the employer may be perfected only upon the posting of a cash or surety bond issued by a reputable bonding company duly accredited by the Secretary of Labor and Employment in the amount equivalent to the monetary award in the order appealed from."

Sec. 2.    All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules, and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 

Sec. 3.    This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation whichever comes earlier.

Approved: June 2, 1994