Topic: Section 20, Article 2 (Role of the private sector)

1. Free Enterprise vs Welfare State Concept

ACCFA v. ACCFA Supervisors Association

G.R. No. L-21484. November 29, 1969

Facts:

 The petitioner is Agricultural Credit and Cooperative Financing Administration (ACCFA), a

government agency created under Republic Act No. 821, as amended. The respondents, on the
other hand are labor organizations of ACCFA.
 In 1961 a collective bargaining agreement, which was to be effective for a period of one (1) year,
was entered into by and between the parties. A few months thereafter, the Unions started
protesting against alleged violations and non-implementation of said agreement. The Unions
declared a strike, which was ended when the strikers voluntarily returned to work.
 The Unions filed complaint with the Court of Industrial Relations against the ACCFA for having
allegedly committed acts of unfair labor practice, namely: violation of the collective bargaining
agreement in order to discourage the members of the Unions in the exercise of their right to self-
organization, discrimination against said members in the matter of promotions, and refusal to
bargain.
 The ACCFA denied the charges and interposed as affirmative and special defenses lack of
jurisdiction of the CIR over the case, illegality of the bargaining contract, expiration of said
Contract and lack of approval by the office of the President of the fringe benefits provided for
therein.
 CIR held in favor of the Unions.
 The ACCFA moved to reconsider but was turned down hence, this appeal by certiorari.
 During the pendency of the ACCFA’s case, the Agricultural Land Reform Code (Republic Act 3844)
was signed into law, which required the reorganization of the administrative machinery of the
ACCFA and changed its name to Agricultural Credit Administration (ACA). So, ACCFA Supervisors’
Association and the ACCFA Workers’ Association filed a petition for certification election with the
Court of Industrial Relations praying that they be certified as the exclusive bargaining agents for
the supervisors and rank-and-file employees in the ACA.
 ACA denied that the Unions represented the majority of the supervisors and rank-and-file
workers, respectively, in the ACA. It further alleged that the petition was premature, that the ACA
was not the proper party to be notified and to answer the petition, and that the employees and
supervisors could not lawfully become members of the Unions, nor be represented by them
 The trial court certified the ACCFA Workers’ Association and the ACCFA Supervisors’ Association
as the sole and exclusive bargaining representatives of the rank-and-file employees and
supervisors of ACA. Said order was affirmed by the CIR in
its resolution.
Issue
 Whether ACA is engaged in governmental function
Held

 Yes. The ACA is a government office or agency engaged in governmental, not proprietary
functions. These functions may not be strictly what President Wilson described as “constituent”
(as distinguished from “ministrant”), such as those relating to the maintenance of peace and the
prevention of crime, those regulating property and property rights, those relating to the
administration of justice and the determination of political duties of citizens, and those relating
to national defense and foreign relations. The growing complexities of modern society, however,
have rendered this traditional classification of the functions of government quite unrealistic, not
to say obsolete. Here as almost everywhere else the tendency is undoubtedly towards a greater
socialization of economic forces.

Separate Opinion of J. Fernando, concurring (FEELING KO ETO YUNG RELATED SA TOPIC)

 The regime of liberty if provided for, with the realization that under the then prevalent social and
economic conditions, it may be attained only through a government with its sphere of activity
ranging far and wide, not excluding matters hitherto left to the operation of free enterprise (Free
Enterprise concept). As rightfully stressed in our decision today in line with what was earlier
expressed by Justice Laurel, the government that we have established has as a fundamental
principle the promotion of social justice. The same jurist gave it a comprehensive and enduring
definition as "the promotion of the welfare of all the people, the adoption by the government of
measures calculated to insure economic stability of all the component elements of society,
through the maintenance of a proper economic and social equilibrium in the interrelations of the
members of the community, constitutionally, through the adoption of measures legally justifiable,
or extra-constitutionally, through the exercise of powers underlying the existence of all
governments in the time-honored principle of salus populi est suprema lex." (Welfare State
concept)