MALACAÑANG on Thursday said the legislation regulating contractual employment is no longer part of the priority legislation of President Duterte.
Newly appointed Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Jacinto Paras said Duterte is no longer prioritizing the bill due to the apparent lack of interest from labor stakeholders.
“All the sectors have not been voicing out their opinions on this, even the Department of Labor. So, it is no longer a priority,” Paras said in an online press briefing on Thursday.
Paras said the President decided to veto the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill in 2019, which regulated contractualization, because of the unresolved “conflict between the labor and the management” on its provisions. There was hope then among labor groups that the measure, also known as “anti-ENDO [for end of contract] bill,” could be refiled with some tweaks and enacted eventually.
“Maybe in due time, I think, that’s still an important proposed legislation,” Paras said.
Currently, Paras reiterated the administration’s priority legislation as: the creation of the Department for Overseas Filipinos (DOFIL), the law on the possible extension of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) transition period, pension scheme in the public sector, the Public Service Act and the Foreign Investment Act.
Treacherous ploy
Labor groups expressed their outrage over Duterte’s reneging on his campaign promise to regulation contractualization.
In the last remaining months of the current administration, labor coalition Nagkaisa said Duterte should focus on his labor-related commitment rather than pushing to be elected as vice president in the polls next year.
On Tuesday, Duterte said he is seriously considering running as vice president next year in order to continue his campaign against illegal drugs and corruption.
“Labor groups are incensed at the announcement of President Rodrigo Duterte that he is running for the second highest position of the land right after his dismal performance as President characterized by grave abuse of workers’ and human rights; and very poor pandemic response,” Nagkaisa said in a statement.
Partidong Manggagawa Chairman and Nagkaisa spokesman Renato Magtubo said Duterte’s vice presidential bid is a “treacherous ploy” for him to avoid accountability for the reported extrajudicial killings during his term.
Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) Secretary-General Josua Mata agreed with Magtubo on Duterte’s supposed fear of losing power.
“He knows he’s facing possible jail time for all the atrocities he committed,” Mata said.