PLDT works to comply with DoLE order; no contracts terminated

PLDT, Inc. on Monday denied it had terminated service contracts with agencies in order to avoid complying with the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DoLE) order to regularize its contractual workers.

“PLDT did not terminate these service contracts,” PLDT said in a statement, in response to a labor group’s claims that the telecommunications giant ended the service contracts with several providers.

The company has filed a petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals (CA), questioning the legality and validity of the DoLE order, saying that aspects of the order are “inconsistent with applicable law, jurisprudence, and the documentary and testimonial evidence.”

PLDT said 23 affected service contractors have also questioned the decision before the CA.

In May, DoLE denied PLDT’s appeal regarding the agency’s order for PLDT to regularize over 7,000 of its contractual workers, while the contractors were told to compensate the employees in monetary claims. It also ordered 38 service contract providers of PLDT to cease and desist from providing services to the telecommunications companies.

“While PLDT and the affected contractors await judicial relief from the CA, PLDT continues to carry out an orderly and effective intake process in response to the DoLE Order. This process involves the proper identification of individuals named in the DoLE Order and establishing their respective qualifications and fitness for work,” the company said.

PLDT said it is working to ensure its operations will not be affected by the DoLE order.

“The Company is putting in place various interim and long-term measures to continue providing quality services to its customers and the public,” it said.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.