A monetary award of Php5 Million was adjudged by the Labor Arbiter against Edwin's employer

representing Edwin's backwages and separation pay. Due to the huge award, Edwin's employer
thought of filing a motion to reduce bond.

It shall be noted that Article 223 of the Labor Code expressly provided that;
ART. 223. Appeal. Decisions, awards, or orders of the Labor Arbiter are final and executory
unless appealed to the Commission by any or both parties within ten (10) calendar days from
receipt of such decisions, awards, or orders. x x x. In case of a judgment involving a monetary
award, an appeal by the employer may be perfected only upon the posting of a cash or
surety bond issued by a reputable bonding company duly accredited by the Commission
in the amount equivalent to the monetary award in the judgment appealed from.
This is further supported by 2011 NLRC Rules of Procedure which provides that;
Section 6. Bond- In case the decision of the Labor Arbiter or the Regional Director involves a
monetary awrd, an appeal by the employer may be perfected only upon posting of a bond xxxxx
no motion to reduce bond shall be entertained except on meritorious grounds, and only
upon the posting of a bond in a reasonable amount in relation to the monetary award.
The procedure with regard to the filing of a motion to reduce bond is therefore only limited to
the exception that there should be meritorious ground, and, upon filing of a motion to reduce
bail. As settled in the case of Garcia et.at, vs. KJ Commercial,
Reduction of Bond is discretionary power but that discretionary power is not
unbridled and is subject to strict guidelines as set forth in several decisions of the
Supreme Court. The reduction of the appeal bond must be reasonable and must be
restricted to justifiable cases. Thus, without proof and on the mere allegation that
the decision sought to be appealed is purportedly erroneous in fact or in law, would
be inadequate. Mere motion to reduce appeal bond cannot serve to mitigate the
appeal bond requirement, nor could the allegation that the monetary award was too
large or too harsh or unfounded or unsettled, be proper grounds to reduce the
appeal bond. Even if the monetary award to be paid as appeal bond runs
into millions or billions of pesos, this does not automatically give the employerappellant a meritorious case to reduce the appeal bond.
Thus, considering that in the case at bar, it is not specifically stated that there is a meritorious
ground to reduce the bond, then the motion to reduce bond cannot prosper. And, the only way
that Edwins employer can do is to file the appropriate bond upon complying with the requisites
of filing a bond.