XIII

Sometimes I get moved by compassion seeing most people coming to our office. One lady came all the way from the Quezon province just to have an adverse decision of the NLRC appealed. But it plainly cannot be appealed since the period to file an appeal has prescribed. She doesn’t have any place to stay in here in Manila, she has children studying, she lived in the area in Quezon province affected by the landslide. Her husband died 7 years ago and allegedly according to her, was insured by the company, but the insurance money was received by the recruitment agency. The labor arbiter ruled in her favor, but the NLRC reversed. Had the labor arbiter’s ruling been sustained, she receives about 300,000 pesos, but the NLRC ruled to the contrary, but out of compassion, granted her 10,000 bucks. Sad to say, there’s no more remedy (unless extrinsic fraud be invoke and a motion for new trial or relief from judgment be moved) because she didn’t return to manila a month earlier after receiving the copy of the adverse decision.

There I see the world of the descamisados, the unlearned, fighting for their rights, and even though no big money is involved, just want to vindicate themselves. Some just fight for their dignity, though they don’t have anything else. I haven’t encountered any major civil case (which usually involves property or large money), all that they fight for are their rights, names, personal status… ‘cause most of them have nothing else to themselves.

At any rate, some clients are just plainly absurd. Obnoxious and tell-all, tall-tale story tellers of a simple money claim which became as confusing as a Mexican Telenovela.