FIRST DIVISION

[G.R. No. 145443. March 18, 2005]

RAQUEL P. CONSULTA, petitioner, vs. COURT OF APPEALS, PAMANA PHILIPPINES, INC., RAZUL

Z. REQUESTO, and ALETA TOLENTINO, respondents.

DECISION
CARPIO, J.:

The Case

This is a petition for review[1] assailing the Decision of 28 April 2000 and Resolution of 9
October 2000 promulgated by the Court of Appeals (appellate court) [2] in CA-G.R. SP No. 50462.
The appellate court reversed the Resolution of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC)
which in turn affirmed the Labor Arbiters Decision.

The Antecedent Facts

Pamana Philippines, Inc. (Pamana) is engaged in health care business. Raquel P. Consulta
(Consulta) was a Managing Associate of Pamana. Consultas appointment dated 1 December
1987 states:

We are pleased to formally confirm your appointment and confer upon you the authority as
MANAGING ASSOCIATE (MA) effective on December 1, 1987 up to January 2, 1988. Your area of
operation shall be within Metro Manila.

In this capacity, your principal responsibility is to organize, develop, manage, and maintain a
sales division and a full complement of agencies and Health Consultants (HealthCons) and to
submit such number of enrollments and revenue attainments as may be required of your
position in accordance with pertinent Company policies and guidelines. In pursuit of this
objective, you are hereby tasked with the responsibilities of recruiting, training and directing
your Supervising Associates (SAs) and the Health Consultants under their respective agencies,
for the purpose of promoting our corporate Love Mission.

In the performance of such duties, you are expected to uphold and promote the Companys
interests and good image and to abide by its principles and established norms of conduct
necessary and appropriate in the discharge of your functions. The authority as MA likewise
vests upon you command responsibility for the actions of your SAs and HealthCons; the
Company therefore reserves the right to debit your account for any accountabilities/financial
obligations arising therefrom.

By your acceptance of this appointment, it is understood that you must represent the Company
on an exclusive basis, and must not engage directly or indirectly in activities, nor become
affiliated in official or unofficial capacity with companies or organizations which compete or
have the same business as Pamana. It is further understood that his [sic] self-inhibition shall be
effective for a period of one year from date of official termination with the Company arising
from any cause whatsoever.

In consideration of your undertaking the assignment and the accompanying duties and
responsibilities, you shall be entitled to compensation computed as follows:

On Initial Membership Fee Entrance Fee 5%

Medical Fee 6%

On Subsequent Membership Fee 6%

You are likewise entitled to participate in sales contests and such other incentives that may be
implemented by the Company.

This appointment is on a non-employer-employee relationship basis, and shall be in accordance

with the Company Guidelines on Appointment, Reclassification and Transfer of Sales Associates.
[3]

Sometime in 1987, Consulta negotiated with the Federation of Filipino Civilian Employees
Association (FFCEA) working at the United States Subic Naval Base for a Health Care Plan for the
FFCEA members. Pamana issued Consulta a Certification [4] dated 23 November 1987, as follows:

This certifies that the Emerald Group under Ms. Raquel P. Consulta, as Managing Consultant, is
duly authorized to negotiate for and in behalf of PAMANA with the Federation of Filipino
Civilian Employees Association covering all U.S. facilities in the Philippines, the coverage of
FFCEA members under the Pamana Golden Care Health Plans.

Upon such negotiation and eventual execution of the contract agreements, entitlements of all
benefits due the Emerald Group in its [sic] entirely including its [sic] Supervising Consultants
and Health Consultants, by of commissions, over-rides and other package of benefits is hereby
affirmed, obligated and confirmed as long as the contracts negotiated and executed are in full
force and effect, including any and all renewals made. And provided further that the herein
authorized consultants remain in active status with the Pamana Golden Care sales group. [5]
 On 4 March 1988, Pamana and the U.S. Naval Supply Depot signed the FFCEA account.
Consulta, claiming that Pamana did not pay her commission for the FFCEA account, filed a
complaint for unpaid wages or commission against Pamana, its President Razul Z. Requesto
(Requesto), and its Executive Vice-President Aleta Tolentino (Tolentino).

The Rulings of the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC

In a Decision promulgated on 23 June 1993, Labor Arbiter Alex Arcadio Lopez ruled, as
follows:

ACCORDINGLY, respondent is hereby ordered to pay complainant her unpaid commission to be

computed as against actual transactions between respondent PAMANA and the contracting
Department of U.S. Naval Supply Depot upon presentation of pertinent document.

Respondent is further ordered to pay ten (10%) percent attorneys fees.

SO ORDERED.[6]

Pamana, Requesto and Tolentino (Pamana et al.) appealed the Decision of the Labor
Arbiter.
In a Resolution[7] promulgated on 22 July 1994, the NLRC dismissed the appeal and affirmed
the Decision of the Labor Arbiter. In its Order promulgated on 3 October 1994, the NLRC denied
the motion for reconsideration of Pamana et al.
Pamana et al. filed a petition for certiorari before this Court. In compliance with this Courts
resolution dated 6 February 1995, the Office of the Solicitor General submitted a Manifestation
in Lieu of Comment praying to grant the petition on the ground that Consulta was not an
employee of Pamana. On 23 November 1998, this Court referred the case to the appellate court
pursuant to St. Martin Funeral Home v. NLRC.[8]

The Decision of the Appellate Court

In its Decision promulgated on 28 April 2000, the appellate court reversed the NLRC
Decision. The appellate court ruled that Consulta was a commission agent, not an employee of
Pamana. The appellate court also ruled that Consulta should have litigated her claim for unpaid
commission in an ordinary civil action.
Hence, Consultas recourse to this Court.

The Issues
 The issues are:
1. Whether Consulta was an employee of Pamana.
2. Whether the Labor Arbiter had jurisdiction over Consultas claim for unpaid
commission.

The Ruling of the Court

We affirm the Decision of the appellate court. Consulta was an independent agent and not
an employee of Pamana.

The Four-Fold Test

In Viaa v. Al-Lagadan,[9] the Court first laid down the four-fold test to determine the
existence of an employer-employee relationship. The four elements of an employer-employee
relationship, which have since been adopted in subsequent jurisprudence, [10] are (1) the power
to hire; (2) the payment of wages; (3) the power to dismiss; and (4) the power to control. The
power to control is the most important of the four elements.
In Insular Life Assurance Co., Ltd. v. NLRC,[11] the Court explained the scope of the power to
control, thus:

x x x It should, however, be obvious that not every form of control that the hiring party reserves
to himself over the conduct of the party hired in relation to the services rendered may be
accorded the effect of establishing an employer-employee relationship between them in the
legal or technical sense of the term. A line must be drawn somewhere, if the recognized
distinction between an employee and an individual contractor is not to vanish altogether.
Realistically, it would be a rare contract of service that gives untrammeled freedom to the party
hired and eschews any intervention whatsoever in his performance of the engagement.

Logically, the line should be drawn between rules that merely serve as guidelines towards the
achievement of the mutually desired result without dictating the means or methods to be
employed in attaining it, and those that control or fix the methodology and bind or restrict the
party hired to the use of such means. The first, which aim only to promote the result, create no
employer-employee relationship unlike the second, which address both the result and the
means used to achieve it.

In the present case, the power to control is missing. Pamana tasked Consulta to organize,
develop, manage, and maintain a sales division, submit a number of enrollments and revenue
attainments in accordance with company policies and guidelines, and to recruit, train and direct
her Supervising Associates and Health Consultants.[12] However, the manner in which Consulta
was to pursue these activities was not subject to the control of Pamana. Consulta failed to show
that she had to report for work at definite hours. The amount of time she devoted to soliciting
clients was left entirely to her discretion. The means and methods of recruiting and training her
sales associates, as well as the development, management and maintenance of her sales
division, were left to her sound judgment.
Consulta claims that the documents she submitted show that Pamana had control on the
conduct of her work and the means and methods to accomplish the work. However, the
documents only prove the absence of the power to control. The Minutes of the meeting on 31
May 1988 of the Managing Associates with Fely Whitfield, Vice-President for Sales of Pamana,
reflect the following:

At this point Mrs. Whitfield gave some pointers on recruitment and selling techniques and
reminded the group that the success of an agency is still people. The more recruits you have the
better is your chance to achieve your quota.

She also announced June be made a recruitment month, and told the MAs to remind their
associates that if you cannot sell to a prospect then recruit him or her.

She also discussed extensively the survey method of selling and recruitment and that the sales
associates should be more aggressive in their day to day sales activity. She reminded the MAs
to fill up their recruitment requirements to be able to participate in the monthly and
quarterly contest.

xxx

4. Recruitment Campaign

In connection with the Recruitment Campaign for June, Mr. R. Canon [13] requested for
Management support. He suggested that a recruitment Advertisement be placed in a leading
Metropolitan daily Newspaper. The cost of which was unanimously suggested by MAs that
Management should share at least 50%.

5. MAs agreed to pay in advance their share for the salary of the MAs Secretary.[14] (Emphasis
supplied)

The Minutes of the 7 June 1988 meeting reflect the following:

III. PRODUCTION & RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES

To help the MAs in their recruitment drive Mrs. Whitfield suggested some incentives to be
undertaken by the MAs like (1) cash incentives for associates that bring in a recruit, (2) cash
incentives based on production brought in by these new recruits.

She said that MAs, as businessm[e]n should invest time, effort & money to their work, because
it will redown [sic] to their own good anyway, that the success of their agency should not
depend solely on what management could give as incentives but also on incentives of MAs
within their agencies. It should be a concerted effort.

After a thorough discussion on the pros & cons of the suggestions it was agreed that a P10.00
per recruit be given to the associate that will recruit and an additional cash prize based on
production of these new recruits.[15]

Clearly, the Managing Associates only received suggestions from Pamana on how to go
about their recruitment and sales activities. They could adopt the suggestions but the
suggestions were not binding on them. They could adopt other methods that they deemed
more effective.
Further, the Managing Associates had to ask the Management of Pamana to shoulder half
of the advertisement cost for their recruitment campaign. They shelled out their own resources
to bolster their recruitment. They shared in the payment of the salaries of their secretaries.
They gave cash incentives to their sales associates from their own pocket. These circumstances
show that the Managing Associates were independent contractors, not employees, of Pamana.
Finally, Pamana paid Consulta not for labor she performed but only for the results of her
labor.[16] Without results, Consultas labor was her own burden and loss. Her right to
compensation, or to commission, depended on the tangible results of her work [17] - whether she
brought in paying recruits. Consultas appointment paper provides:

In consideration of your undertaking the assignment and the accompanying duties and
responsibilities, you shall be entitled to compensation computed as follows:

On Initial Membership Fee Entrance Fee 5%

Medical Fee 6%

On Subsequent Membership Fee 6%

You are likewise entitled to participation in sales contests and such other incentives that may
be implemented by the Company.[18]

The Guidelines on Appointment of Associates show that a Managing Associate received the
following commissions and bonuses:

3. Compensation Package of Regular MAs

Regular MAs shall be entitled to the following compensation and benefits:

3.1 Compensation

a) Personal Production
 Individual/Family Institutional Acct.

commission 30% 30%

bonus 40% -

b) Group Production

overriding commission 6% 6%

bonus 5% -

3.2 Benefits

Participation in all sales contests corresponding to the MA position plus any such other
benefits as may be provided for the MA on regular status. [19]

Aside from commissions, bonuses and other benefits that depended solely on actual sales,
Pamana did not pay Consulta any compensation for managing her sales division, or for
recruiting and training her sales consultants. As a Managing Associate, she was only entitled to
commissions, bonuses and other benefits, which depended solely on her sales and on the sales
of her group.

The Exclusivity Provision

Consultas appointment had an exclusivity provision. The appointment provided that

Consulta must represent Pamana on an exclusive basis. She must not engage directly or
indirectly in activities of other companies that compete with the business of Pamana. However,
the fact that the appointment required Consulta to solicit business exclusively for Pamana did
not mean that Pamana exercised control over the means and methods of Consultas work as the
term control is understood in labor jurisprudence. [20] Neither did it make Consulta an employee
of Pamana. Pamana did not prohibit Consulta from engaging in any other business, or from
being connected with any other company, for as long as the business or company did not
compete with Pamanas business.
The prohibition applied for one year after the termination of the contract with Pamana. In
one of their meetings, one of the Managing Associates reported that he was transferring his
sales force and account from another company to Pamana. [21] The exclusivity provision was a
reasonable restriction designed to prevent similar acts prejudicial to Pamanas business interest.
Article 1306 of the Civil Code provides that [t]he contracting parties may establish such
stipulations, clauses, terms and conditions as they may deem convenient, provided they are not
contrary to law, morals, good customs, public order, or public policy.
 Jurisdiction over Claim for Unpaid Commission

There being no employer-employee relationship between Pamana and Consulta, the Labor
Arbiter and the NLRC had no jurisdiction to entertain and rule on Consultas money claim.
Article 217 of the Labor Code provides:

ART. 217. Jurisdiction of Labor Arbiters and the Commission. - (a) Except as otherwise provided
under this Code the Labor Arbiters shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction to hear and
decide, within thirty (30) calendar days after the submission of the case by the parties for
decision without extension, even in the absence of stenographic notes, the following cases
involving all workers, whether agricultural or non-agricultural:

1. Unfair labor practice cases;

2. Termination disputes;
3. If accompanied with a claim for reinstatement, those cases that workers may file
involving wages, rates of pay, hours of work and other terms and conditions of
employment;
4. Claims for actual, moral, exemplary and other forms of damages arising from the
employer-employee relations;
5. Cases arising from any violation of Article 264 of this Code, including questions
involving the legality of strikes and lockouts; and
6. Except claims for Employees Compensation, Social Security, Medicare and maternity
benefits, all other claims, arising from employer-employee relations, including those
of persons in domestic or household service, involving an amount exceeding five
thousand pesos (P5,000.00) regardless of whether accompanied with a claim for
reinstatement.

(b) The Commission shall have exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all cases decided by
Labor Arbiters.

(c) Cases arising from the interpretation or implementation of collective bargaining

agreements and those arising from the interpretation or enforcement of company
personnel policies shall be disposed of by the Labor Arbiter by referring the same
to the grievance machinery and voluntary arbitration as may be provided in said
agreements.

Consulta filed her action under Article 217(a)(6) of the Labor Code. However, since there
was no employer-employee relationship between Pamana and Consulta, the Labor Arbiter
should have dismissed Consultas claim for unpaid commission. Consultas remedy is to file an
ordinary civil action to litigate her claim.
 WHEREFORE, the petition is DISMISSED and the Decision of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R.
SP No. 50462 is AFFIRMED in toto.
SO ORDERED.
Davide, Jr., C.J., (Chairman), Quisumbing, Ynares-Santiago, and Azcuna, JJ., concur.

[1]
 Under Rule 45 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure.
[2]
 Penned by Associate Justice Andres B. Reyes, Jr., with Associate Justices Fermin A. Martin, Jr.
and Romeo A. Brawner, concurring.
[3]
 Rollo, p. 73.
[4]
 Signed by its President Razul Z. Requesto.
[5]
 Rollo, p. 75.
[6]
 Ibid., p. 64.
[7]
 Penned by Commissioner Alberto R. Quimpo, with Presiding Commissioner Bartolome S.
Carale and Commissioner Vicente S.E. Veloso, concurring.
[8]
 356 Phil. 811 (1998). CA Records, p. 193.
[9]
 99 Phil. 408 (1956).
[10]
 Sonza v. ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, G.R. No. 138051, 10 June 2004; Abante v.
Lamadrid, G.R. No. 159890, 28 May 2004; Sy v. Court of Appeals, 446 Phil. 404 (2003);
Tiu v. NLRC, 324 Phil. 202 (1996).
[11]
 G.R. No. 84484, 15 November 1989, 179 SCRA 459.
[12]
 Rollo, p. 73.
[13]
 Raul P. Canon is one of the Managing Associates.
[14]
 Rollo, pp. 103, 105.
[15]
 Ibid., p. 109.
[16]
 See Investment Planning Corp. of the Phil. v. SSS, 129 Phil 143 (1967).
[17]
 Ibid.
[18]
 Rollo, p. 73.
[19]
 Ibid., p. 79.
[20]
 See AFP Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. v. NLRC, G.R. No. 102199, 28 January 1997, 267
SCRA 47.
[21]
Rollo, p. 99.