Practice question
A city applies higher commercial inspection fees to facilities above an objectively measured storage-volume threshold. The evidence establishes greater inspection costs in that class and a reasonable relationship between the fee and those costs. All similarly situated facilities are treated alike; no heightened-scrutiny concern exists. A challenger proves that a more detailed individual-cost system could be more precise and asks the court to invalidate the threshold solely for that reason. What follows rational-basis review?
- The law must fail whenever a more precise alternative can be imagined
- The alternative alone does not defeat a classification already reasonably connected to a legitimate cost-recovery purpose
- The law must fail unless the threshold creates identical costs in every facility
- The law is valid because courts cannot examine economic regulation at all
- The law automatically becomes a strict-scrutiny case whenever money is charged
Legal references
- 1987 Constitution, Article III, Section 1, equal protection: https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/3/353
- Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. v. Commissioner of Customs, G.R. No. 256907, February 20, 2023, main decision, rational-basis review of economic legislation: https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2023/feb2023/gr_256907_2023.html
- Albano v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 257610 and UDK No. 17230, January 24, 2023, main decision, legitimate interest and reasonable connection under rational-basis review: https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2023/jan2023/gr_257610_2023.html
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