Alzate v. Aldana

ANACLETO ALZATE, in his official capacity as Principal of the South Provincial High School, Agoo, La Union, petitionerappellant, v.
BENIGNO ALDANA, in his Official capacity as Director of Public Schools, and ZACARIAS G. DE VERA, in
his official capacity as Division Superintendent of Schools for La Union, respondents-appellees.
29 February 1960 | J. Barrera
[Exception to rule on exhaustion of administrative remedies: Urgency of petition; If exhausting all administrative remedies
would render the relief sough useless, then the plaintiff cannot be compelled to exhaust all administrative remedies before
resorting to courts. In such a case, the non-exhaustion of administrative remedies cannot be a proper ground for
dismissal.(B2015 Admin Law Reviewer)]
FACTS: P Alzate wrote to R Director of Public Schools claiming that, taking account his 24 years of service in the Bureau
of Public Schools in various capacities, he is entitled to:
1) Automatic salary increase of 4 rates (1 rate for every 5 years of service) pursuant to Section 4 (a) of RA 842
2) Additional automatic salary increase of 1 rate, pursuant to Section 4 (b) of RA 842, for having passed the
examination for Superintendent of Private Schools
R Director denied Ps request: in the adjustment of salary of secondary principals, only the actual number of years of
service would be considered; as P has to his credit 9yrs, 8mos, 15 days, he would be entitled to only one rate of salary
increase; and since the examination taken and passed by petitioner was only for the Bureau of Private Schools, petitioner
was not entitled to the benefit of paragraph (b) of the Public School Salary Act.
P requested for a reconsideration, citing in support an opinion of the Secretary of Justice that in the adjustment of salaries
under Republic Act No. 842, the length of service in the educational branch of the government and not merely that in the
position occupied at the time of the adjustment, should be considered. Not having received any ruling on his request for
reconsideration and fearing that the amount appropriated for the payment of the salary adjustment of public
schools teachers and officials, if not disbursed or committed before the expiration of the fiscal year on 30 June
1958, would be reverted to the general funds of the Government, P filed a mandamus proceeding in the CFI La
Union to compel Rs to adjust his salary. R filed a Motion to Dismiss on the ground that the petition stated no cause of
action and that P had not exhausted all administrative remedies before coming to court, and that the lower court acquired
no jurisdiction over the case, without prejudice to the right of the petitioner to file an appropriate action at the opportune
time.
CFI: Dismissed petition on the ground that it was premature, P not having exhausted all the administrative remedies
In the hearing on the petition for a writ of preliminary preventive and mandatory injunction, it was agreed in open court
that the Director of Public Schools shall recommend to the proper officials not later than June 30, 1958 and before the
close of office hours on that date the sum of P840.00 to accounts receivable the amount being claimed by the herein
petitioner and all other sums that the Director of Public Schools may believe necessary for the interest of all other school
officials and teachers who may be benefited with whatever favorable decision
ISSUE: W/N the petition filed while the Director of Public Schools was still considering Ps request for reconsideration
stated no cause of action in view of the non-exhaustion of administrative remedies
RULING: NO. The Court supported Ps claim that if he waited for the final decision on his petition for reconsideration
which was not forthcoming, and in fact did not come, before 30 June 1958, whatever action may thereafter be taken by
respondent, even if favorable to petitioner, would be of no avail after the reversion of the funds appropriated for
the purpose of salary adjustment. Hence, he claims, that to require him to exhaust the administrative remedies
would, in the circumstances of the case, in effect amount to a nullification of his claim.
The fact that the parties had to agree and the court had to approve the agreement that the Director of Public Schools
shall recommend to the proper official not later than June 30, 1958 and before the closing of office hours on that date the
commitment of the sum of P840.00 claimed by petitioner, to accounts payable in order to prevent its reversion, is a
recognition by the parties as well as the court of the validity and urgency of the action taken by the petitionerappellant. It would seem, therefore, that in the particular circumstances of the present case, petitioner had sufficient
cause of action at the time of the filing of his petition on June 11, 1958, and a resort to the court without awaiting for the
final decision of the administrative officers is not, in view of the special situation, premature.
Wherefore, the order appealed from is hereby set aside and the case remanded to the court of origin for further
proceedings. Without costs. So ordered.

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ANACLETO ALZATE, in his official capacity as Principal of the South Provincial High School, Agoo, La Union, petitionerappellant, v.

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