Short answer. Yes. The Labor Code lets the Council set aside part of its own budget to hire qualified consultants or private organizations for research and publication work connected to its objectives. It can also draw on government services when needed, so it is not limited to using only its own in-house staff.
What the law says
In pursuing its objectives, the Council is authorized to set aside a portion of its appropriation for the hiring of the services of qualified consultants, and/or private organizations for research work and publication.
Labor Code, Article 55 — Consultants, Research And Publication. Read the full provision →
What the law says
It shall avail itself of the services of the Government as may be required.
Labor Code, Article 55 — Consultants, Research And Publication. Read the full provision →
Where the funding comes from
The authority in this article is budgetary rather than open-ended: the Council may set aside a portion of its own appropriation, meaning money it has already been allocated, to pay for outside help. It is not a separate funding source and does not let the Council spend beyond what it has been given for the purpose of pursuing its objectives.
Who can be engaged
Two kinds of outside help are named: qualified consultants, who would typically be individuals with relevant expertise, and private organizations, which can be hired specifically for research work and publication. The provision groups these together as options the Council can choose between, or combine, depending on what a given research or publication project needs. The word 'qualified' matters: it ties the hiring authority to demonstrated expertise rather than letting the Council engage anyone it prefers, and it is the standard the Council would need to justify if a hiring decision were later questioned. Nothing in the text sets a cap on how many consultants or organizations may be engaged at once, leaving that judgment to the Council's own budget and project needs.
Using government resources as well
The article also lets the Council draw on the services of the Government itself when required, alongside private consultants. Reading both sentences together, the Council has two channels open to it, hiring private expertise on the one hand and calling on existing government offices and personnel on the other, so it can pick whichever fits a particular research or publication need.
Why this provision exists
Government research and publication work often needs specialized skills that an agency's regular staff may not have, whether that is technical study design, statistical analysis or preparing materials for public release. This article gives the Council a lawful basis to bring in that outside capacity instead of trying to do everything with permanent personnel alone. Without an explicit authorization like this one, an agency could face questions about whether public appropriations may be spent on outside consultants at all, since government spending generally needs a specific statutory basis rather than being left to an agency's general discretion. Article 55 removes that doubt for this Council's research and publication work specifically.
Not a right for outside parties to invoke
This provision speaks to how the Council itself is funded and staffed; it does not on its own create a right for a private individual or firm to demand a consulting contract or a research grant. Anyone interested in providing consulting or research services to the Council would still need to go through whatever procurement or engagement process the agency uses.
Related provisions
- Labor Code, Article 55 — Consultants, Research And Publication
- Labor Code, Article 54 — Regional Manpower Development Offices
- Labor Code, Article 57 — Objectives Of Apprenticeship