Administrative Law

and Administrative
Agencies
Alberto C. Agra
Professor of Laws, Ateneo Law
School

Administrative Law
Definition: All the laws that regulate or
control the administrative organization
and operations of the government
Classifications:
1. Internal and External Administration
2. Law that Controls and those made by
Administrative Agencies
3. Substantive or Procedural Administrative
Law
4. General or Special Administrative Law
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

Administrative Agencies
(AAs)
An agency which exercises some
significant form or combination of
executive, legislative or judicial powers
(4th Branch)
Include boards, commissions,
departments, bureaus, offices, authorities,
government corporations, government
instrumentalities, and local governments
Rationale: complex, diverse and
specialized concerns
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

Creation of AAs
1. Constitution
2. Congress (Law; for Quasi-Corporations
economically viable and common good;
LGUs - plebiscite)
3. President (Executive Order; by authority
under the Constitution or of law)
4. Supreme Court (reclassification by
Decision)
5. Administrative Agencies themselves
(Articles of Incorporation; by authority of
law)
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

Government Bureaucracy
o Administrative
o Public Corporation
Agency
o Quasi-Corporation
o GOCCs (original
o Quasi-Public
charter)
o GOCCs (special
o Municipal
charter)
Corporation Proper/
Local Government
o Gis
o Quasi-Municipal
o National
Corp
Government
Agency
o Government Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra
5

Charter: Enabling
Instrument
1. Name
2. Principles
3. Mandate and
Purpose
4. Powers
5. Duties and
Responsibilities

6. Relationships
7. Jurisdiction
8. Structure
9. Budget
10.Dissolution

Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

Characteristics of AAs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Size
Specialization
Responsibility for Results
Variety of Administrative Duties
Delegated Authorities
Accountability
Relationships
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

Types of AAs
1. Offers gratuities, grants or privileges
(PAO)
2. Performs specific governmental
functions (BIR)
3. Undertakes public service (MWSS)
4. Regulates businesses affected with
public interest (NTC)
5. Exercises police power to regulate
private businesses (SEC)
6. Resolves controversies (NLRC)
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

Administrative
Relationship

Areas: policies, operations, budget, decisions,

day-to-day, policy and program coordination
Types:
1. Supervision and Control (substitute judgment;
rules on how to execute act; alter-ego; e.g.
President and DOTC)
2. Administrative Supervision (oversight, reports,
proper performance; not over appointments and
contracts, not reverse decisions; e.g.
Department and Regulatory Agencies; Province
and Component City)
3. Attachment (sit in Board; reporting; not day-today; e.g. DPWH
and MWSS)
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra
9

Powers
Possesses Delegated, not Inherent, Powers
Subordinate, not Superior, to Enabling
Instrument
Liberal, not Strict, Interpretation of Powers
AA cannot prohibit what law does not
prohibit
Basic Powers
1. Investigative
2. Rule-Making or Quasi-Legislative
3. Adjudicative or Quasi-Judicial
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

10

Delegation of Powers
Potestas delegata non potest delegari
Exceptions:
President tariff and emergency
Local Governments
Peoples Initiative
Administrative Agencies

Tests of Valid Delegation:

Completeness (the what); and
Sufficient Standards (may be broad; need
not be stated in law); not vague
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

11

Investigative Powers
partakes of judicial discretion, not
judicial function
Express Grant
1. Contempt
2. Subpoena
3. Search
(Presence of
counsel not
required)

Express or
Implied
1. Fact-Finding
2. Ocular
Inspection
3. Visitorial

Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

12

Rule-Making
Definition: Power to Issue Rules/ Fill in
details/ How (notWhat) a Law will be
implemented
Nature: Inferior/ Subordinate (cannot
change, amend or conflict with charter
or law)
Rationale: regulation highly complex,
future situations cannot be fully
anticipated
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

13

Rule-Making
Effect
1. Force and effect of law
2. Interpretations persuasive (not
controlling)
3. Presumed legal and constitutional
4. Operative effect
5. Subject to judicial review
6. Subject to repeal and amendment
7. Prospective application
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

14

Rule-Making
Requisites
1. by authority of law
2. not contrary to law (content)
3. properly promulgated (process
publication; hearing, if required by law)
4. Reasonable
o
o
o
o

Relation to purpose
Supported by good reasons
Not arbitrary
Free from legal infirmities
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

15

Types of Rules (PIPICS)

Type

Grant

Publication

Supplement
ary
Interpretati
ve
Contingent

Express (E)
or Implied (I)
E or I

Required
Not Required

Required

Penal

Required

Procedural

E or I

Required

E or I

Not Required16

Internal

Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

Invalid Exercise: RuleMaking

Law
Creates
Strict Requirements
No Requirement
Stated Requirement

Rule
Abolishes
Liberalizes Requirements
Imposes Requirement
Alters/ Deletes
Requirement
Enumeration Exclusive
Adds/ Deletes
Requirement
No Classification
Discriminates/ Classifies
Limited Application
Expands Application
Fixed Period
Changes Period
Continue Practice
Discontinues Practice 17
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

Quasi-Judicial Power
Grant of Power: Express
Definition: Deciding controversies,
resolving conflicting claims and
positions
Extent: Typically only questions of
fact (questions of law or mixed if
expressly permitted under the
Charter/ law)
Limitation: Subject to Judicial Review
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

18

Classes: Quasi-Judicial
Power
1. Directing (corrective/ award)
backwages
2. Enabling (grant/ permit) grant of
franchise
3. Dispensing (exempt/ relieve)
amnesty
4. Summary (compel/ force) cease
and desist
5. Equitable
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

19

Quasi-Legislative or
-Judicial
Application for rate increase by a
particular public utility (QJ)
Increase rates for all buses (QL)
Setting qualification standards (QL)
Disqualifying a candidate (QJ)
Procedures for applying for a
franchise (QL)
Revoking a specific franchise (QJ)
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

20

Quasi-Legislative and
-Judicial
Topic
Quasi-Judicial
QuasiGrant
Parties
Adversarial
Controversy
Notice and
Hearing
Primary/
Exhaustion
Time
Publication
Res Judicata

Applicable

Legislative
E or I
All/ Sectors
No
None
Not Required
(unless law)
Not Applicable

Past/ Present
Not Required
Administrative
Law Reviewer, Agra
Applicable

Future
Depends
Not Applicable21

E
Particular
Yes
Exists
Required

Administrative
Proceedings

Character: Adversarial, quasi-judicial, civil

Jurisdiction: Defined by Law/ Charter (not
by AA or parties)
Nature: Power to Adjudicate Not
Delegable (power to hear/ receive
evidence can be delegated)
Due Process (DINA): Decision, Impartial
Tribunal, Notice and Appear/ Defend
Procedure: reasonable, due process, meet
ends, published
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

22

Administrative
Proceedings

Notice and Hearing

o Required (actual or constructive)

o Subject to waiver and estoppel
o Curable (i.e., subsequently heard, filing of
motion of reconsideration, oral arguments)
o Position papers allowed
o Not required when privilege, abatement,
conditional right, legislative or administrative

Right to counsel not imperative

Full Hearing: All Claims, Rebuttal,
Evidence and Cross-Examination
(dispensable)Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

23

Administrative
Proceedings
Evidence
o Substantial (unless law provides different
quantum)
o Ocular allowed (when relevant)
o Adoption of reports allowed

Decision: Bases, Form (need not be fullblown), Parties, All Issues and Evidence
Enforcement: by AA if authorized by
law (if not, courts)
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

24

Administrative Findings
AA findings are not conclusive and
final before courts
Given weight, not disturbed unless:
o Not based on substantial evidence
o Fraud, mistake, collusion
o Palpable errors
o Grave abuse of discretion
o Misappreciation of evidence
o Conflict in factual findings
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

25

Judicial Review
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Certiorari
Prohibition
Injunction
Mandamus
Declaratory Relief
Appeal

Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

26

Defenses: Judicial Review

Premature
1. Doctrine of Finality of Administrative
Action: Decision of AA must be final
before Judicial Review; Exceptions:
o
o
o
o

interlocutory orders
protect rights
violate Constitution
excessive use of power

2. Doctrine of Primary Jurisdiction: AA

concurrent with courts; needs
administrative discretion and expertise
of AA
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

27

Defenses: Judicial Review

Premature
3. Doctrine of Ripeness for Review:
Controversy must be real, present or
imminent (not future/ imaginary/
remote)
4. Doctrine of Exhaustion of
Administrative Remedies:
exhaust all administrative remedies
before recourse to courts, condition
precedent, with 19 exceptions,
namely: JPLCS DRIED DARN
CLRNT
Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

28

Exceptions: Non-Exhaustion
JPLCS
Questions
essentially
Judicial
Administrative
Remedy is
Permissive
Pure question of
Law
Constitutionality
Small amount that

DRIED
Utter disregard for
Due Process
No plain speedy
Remedy
Strong public
Interest
Estoppel
Continued and
unreasonable
Delay

Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

29

Exceptions: NonCLRNT
Exhaustion
DARN
Irreparable
Damage by party
Alter Ego Bears
approval of
President
No administrative
Review is
provided
Insistence on
exhaustion will

Civil action for

damages
Land not part of
public domain
Special Reasons
demanding
immediate
judicial relief
No Decision
rendered
Transcendental
issues

Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

30

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Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

31

THANK YOU.

Administrative Law Reviewer, Agra

32