Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The federal courts were, in our opinion, barred Where there is a valid contract of marriage, the
from reversing the state conviction on grounds law of Illinois presumes that the husband is the
of contravention of the Equal Protection Clause father of any child born to the wife during the
when that clause had not been referred to for marriage; as the father, he has legally
consideration by the state authorities. Here, in enforceable rights and duties with respect to that
contrast, we dispose of the case on the child. When a child is born to an unmarried
constitutional premise raised below, reaching the woman, Illinois recognizes the readily
result by a method of analysis readily available identifiable mother, but makes no presumption
to the state court. as to the identity of the biological father.
MR. CHIEF JUSTICE BURGER, with whom It does, however, provide two ways, one
MR. JUSTICE BLACKMUN concurs, voluntary and one involuntary, in which that
dissenting. father may be identified. First, he may marry the
mother and acknowledge the child as his own;
The only constitutional issue raised and decided this has the legal effect of legitimating the child
in the courts of Illinois in this case was whether and gaining for the father full recognition as a
the Illinois statute that omits unwed fathers from parent.
the definition of "parents" violates the Equal
Protection Clause. We granted certiorari to Second, a man may be found to be the biological
consider whether the Illinois Supreme Court father of the child pursuant to a paternity suit
properly resolved that equal protection issue initiated by the mother; in this case, the child
when it unanimously upheld the statute against remains illegitimate, but the adjudicated father is
petitioner Stanley's attack made liable for the support of the child until the
latter attains age 18 or is legally adopted by
In regard to the only issue that I consider another. Ill. Rev. Stat., c. 106 3/4, 52.
properly before the Court, I agree with the
Stanley argued before the Supreme Court of National Capital Judicial Region with seat at
Illinois that the definition of "parents," set out in Manila, THE HONORABLE SECRETARY
Ill. Rev. Stat., c. 37, 701-14, as including "the LOURDES QUISUMBING, in her capacity as
father and mother of a legitimate child, or the Chairman of the BOARD OF MEDICAL
survivor of them, or the natural mother of an EDUCATION, and THE CENTER FOR
illegitimate child, [or] . . . any adoptive parent," EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT (CEM),
3 violates the Equal Protection Clause in that it respondents.
treats unwed mothers and unwed fathers
FACTS:
differently. Stanley then enlarged upon his equal
protection argument when he brought the case - The petitioners sought admission into colleges
here; he argued before this Court that Illinois is or schools of medicine for the school year 1987-
not permitted by the Equal Protection Clause to 1988.
distinguish between unwed fathers and any of
the other biological parents included in the - However, the petitioners either did not take or
statutory definition of legal "parents." did not successfully take the National Medical
Admission Test (NMAT) required by the Board
The Illinois Supreme Court correctly held that of Medical Education, one of the public
the State may constitutionally distinguish respondents, and administered by the private
between unwed fathers and unwed mothers. respondent, the Center for Educational
Here, Illinois' different treatment of the two is Measurement (CEM).
part of that State's statutory scheme for
protecting the welfare of illegitimate children. In - On 5 March 1987, the petitioners filed with the
almost all cases, the unwed mother is readily Regional Trial Court, National Capital Judicial
identifiable, generally from hospital records, and Region, a Petition for Declaratory Judgment and
alternatively by physicians or others attending Prohibition with a prayer for Temporary
the child's birth. Unwed fathers, as a class, are Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction.
not traditionally quite so easy to identify and
locate. Many of them either deny all
responsibility or exhibit no interest in the child - The petitioners sought to enjoin the Secretary
or its welfare; and, of course, many unwed of Education, Culture and Sports, the Board of
fathers are simply not aware of their parenthood. Medical Education and the Center for
Educational Measurement from enforcing
Section 5 (a) and (f) of Republic Act No. 2382,
10) TABLARIN VS. GUTIERREZ as amended, and MECS Order No. 52, series of
1985, dated 23 August 1985 and from requiring
TERESITA TABLARIN, MA, LUZ CIRIACO, the taking and passing of the NMAT as a
MA NIMFA B. ROVIRA, EVANGELINA S. condition for securing certificates of eligibility
LABAO, in their behalf and in behalf of for admission, from proceeding with accepting
applicants for admission into the Medical applications for taking the NMAT and from
Colleges during the school year 1987-88 and administering the NMAT as scheduled on 26
future years who have not taken or successfully April 1987 and in the future.
hurdled tile National Medical Admission Test
(NMAT). petitioners, - After hearing on the petition for issuance of
preliminary injunction, the trial court denied
vs. said petition on 20 April 1987. The NMAT was
conducted and administered as previously
THE HONORABLE JUDGE ANGELINA S.
scheduled.
GUTIERREZ, Presiding Judge of Branch
XXXVII of the Regional Trial Court of the
- Petitioners accordingly filed this Special Civil - 8. No applicant shall be issued the
Action for certiorari with this Court to set aside requisite Certificate of Eligibility for Admission
the Order of the respondent judge denying the (CEA), or admitted for enrollment as first year
petition for issuance of a writ of preliminary student in any medical college, beginning the
injunction. school year, 1986-87, without the required
NMAT qualification as called for under this
-Republic Act 2382, as amended by Republic Order. (Underscoring supplied)
Acts Nos. 4224 and 5946, known as the
"Medical Act of 1959" defines its basic - Pursuant to MECS Order No. 52, s. 1985, the
objectives in the following manner: private respondent Center conducted NMATs for
entrance to medical colleges during the school
Section 1. Objectives. This Act provides for year 1986-1987. In December 1986 and in April
and shall govern (a) the standardization and 1987, respondent Center conducted the NMATs
regulation of medical education (b) the for admission to medical colleges during the
examination for registration of physicians; and school year 1987.1988.
(c) the supervision, control and regulation of the
practice of medicine in the Philippines. ISSUES:
- The statute, among other things, created a - Petitioners raise the question of whether or not
Board of Medical Education a writ of preliminary injunction may be issued to
enjoin the enforcement of Section 5 (a) and (f)
- Section 7 prescribes certain minimum of Republic Act No. 2382, as amended, and
requirements for applicants to medical schools: MECS Order No. 52, s. 1985, pending
Admission requirements. The medical resolution of the issue of constitutionality of the
college may admit any student who has not been assailed statute and administrative order. The
convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction fundamental issue is of course the
of any offense involving moral turpitude and constitutionality of the statute or order assailed.
who presents (a) a record of completion of a RULING:
bachelor's degree in science or arts; (b) a
certificate of eligibility for entrance to a medical 1. The petitioners invoke a number of provisions
school from the Board of Medical Education; (c) of the 1987 Constitution which are, in their
a certificate of good moral character issued by assertion, violated by the continued
two former professors in the college of liberal implementation of Section 5 (a) and (f) of
arts; and (d) birth certificate. Nothing in this act Republic Act 2381, as amended, and MECS
shall be construed to inhibit any college of Order No. 52, s. 1985. The provisions invoked
medicine from establishing, in addition to the read as follows:
preceding, other entrance requirements that may
(a) Article 11, Section 11: "The state values the
be deemed admissible.
dignity of every human person and guarantees
- MECS Order No. 52, s. 1985, issued by the full respect of human rights. "
then Minister of Education, Culture and Sports
(b) Article II, Section l3: "The State recognizes
and dated 23 August 1985, established a uniform
the vital role of the youth in nation building and
admission test called the National Medical
shall promote and protect their physical, moral,
Admission Test (NMAT) as an additional
spiritual, intellectual and social well being. It
requirement for issuance of a certificate of
shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and
eligibility for admission into medical schools of
nationalism, and encourage their involvement in
the Philippines, beginning with the school year
public and civic affairs."
1986-1987.
(c) Article II, Section 17: "The State shall give ABOUT EQUAL PROTECTION
priority to education, science and technology,
2. Petitioners have contended, finally, that
arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism and
MECS Order No. 52, s. 1985, is in conflict with
nationalism, accelerate social progress and to
the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
promote total human liberation and
More specifically, petitioners assert that that
development. "
portion of the MECS Order which provides that
(d) Article XIV, Section l: "The State shall the cutoff score for the successful applicants,
protect and promote the right of all citizens to based on the scores on the NMAT, shall be
quality education at all levels and take determined every-year by the Board of Medical
appropriate steps to make such education 11 Education after consultation with the
accessible to all. " Association of Philippine Medical Colleges.
(e) Article XIV, Section 5 (3): "Every citizen has "infringes the requirements of equal protection."
a right to select a profession or course of study, They assert, in other words, that students
subject to fair, reasonable and equitable seeking admission during a given school year,
admission and academic requirements." e.g., 1987-1988, when subjected to a different
cutoff score than that established for an, e.g.,
Article II of the 1987 Constitution sets forth in earlier school year, are discriminated against and
its second half certain "State policies" which the that this renders the MECS Order "arbitrary and
government is enjoined to pursue and promote. capricious."
The petitioners here have not seriously
undertaken to demonstrate to what extent or in Different cutoff scores for different school years
what manner the statute and the administrative may be dictated by differing conditions
order they assail collide with the State policies obtaining during those years. Thus, the
embodied in Sections 11, 13 and 17. They have appropriate cutoff score for a given year may be
not, in other words, discharged the burden of a function of such factors as the number of
proof which lies upon them. students who have reached the cutoff score
established the preceding year; the number of
Turning to Article XIV, Section 1, of the 1987 places available in medical schools during the
Constitution, we note that once more petitioners current year; the average score attained during
have failed to demonstrate that the statute and the current year; the level of difficulty of the test
regulation they assail in fact clash with that given during the current year, and so forth.
provision. On the contrary we may note-in
anticipation of discussion infra that the To establish a permanent and immutable cutoff
statute and the regulation which petitioners score regardless of changes in circumstances
attack are in fact designed to promote "quality from year to year, may wen result in an
education" at the level of professional schools. unreasonable rigidity. The above language in
MECS Order No. 52, far from being arbitrary or
When one reads Section 1 in relation to Section capricious, leaves the Board of Medical
5 (3) of Article XIV as one must one cannot but Education with the measure of flexibility needed
note that the latter phrase of Section 1 is not to to meet circumstances as they change.
be read with absolute literalness. The State is not
really enjoined to take appropriate steps to make We conclude that prescribing the NMAT and
quality education accessible to all who might requiring certain minimum scores therein as a
for any number of reasons wish to enroll in a condition for admission to medical schools in
professional school but rather merely to make the Philippines, do not constitute an
such education accessible to all who qualify unconstitutional imposition.
under "fair, reasonable and equitable admission
and academic requirements. "
WHEREFORE, the Petition for certiorari is NT$9,000.15 According to her, Wacoal deducted
DISMISSED and the Order of the respondent NT$3,000 to cover her plane ticket to Manila.16
trial court denying the petition for a writ of
- On October 15, 1997, Joy filed a complaint
preliminary injunction is AFFIRMED. Costs
with the National Labor Relations Commission
against petitioners.
against petitioner and Wacoal. She claimed that
11) SAMEER OVERSEAS PLACEMENT she was illegally dismissed.
AGENCY INC. VS. CABILES
- She asked for the return of her placement fee,
SAMEER OVERSEAS PLACEMENT the withheld amount for repatriation costs,
AGENCY, INC., Petitioner, payment of her salary for 23 months as well as
moral and exemplary damages. She identified
vs. Wacoal as Sameer Overseas Placement Agencys
JOY C. CABILES, Respondent. foreign principal.