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Question
In Region K, a DOLE Regional Director conducts a hearing on a wage-claim filed by a worker against Orion Textile Co. for back wages totaling PHP 445,000. After due process, the Regional Director issues an order directing the employer to pay within 15 days. The employer objects, arguing lack of jurisdiction because the wage dispute had already been settled in a separate, final mediation with the workers’ union on payroll anomalies unrelated to the wage claim. The worker supports the Regional Director’s action, contending that Recovery and Adjudicatory Power allows enforcement of unpaid wages notwithstanding prior settlements on unrelated payroll issues. (a) Identify the controlling doctrine governing the Recovery and Adjudicatory Power of DOLE Regional Directors in wage-claims under the Labor Code. (b) Distinguish whether a DOLE Regional Director’s action in a wage-claim adjudication is within actual authority or ultra vires when the employer challenges jurisdiction due to a prior settlement with a union. (c) Apply the doctrine to the facts: Is the Regional Director’s order valid and enforceable? What remedies are available to the employer or employee if they seek review or relief?