Duterte certifies anti-contractualization bill as urgent

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent a legislative measure that seeks to ensure job security by prohibiting the practice of short-term and temporary work arrangements.

In a letter addressed to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and dated September 21, Duterte certified as urgent Senate Bill 1826, otherwise known as security of tenure bill, in an effort to protect the contractual workers’ right to security of tenure.

“I hereby certify to the necessity of the immediate enactment of Senate Bill 1826,” Duterte said.

The President said the immediate passage of the proposed measure would “strengthen workers’ security of tenure by prohibiting the prevalent practices of contractualization and labor-only contracting which continue to immerse our workers in a quagmire of poverty and underemployment.”

One of Duterte’s campaign promises was to put an end to unfair practice of unlawful contractualization in the country.

The House of Representatives on January 29 approved on third and final reading the security of tenure bill. The House version of the bill, however, does not offer a solution to end abusive forms of contractualization.

The proposed measure in the Senate remains pending on second reading.

On May 1, Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) 50, which disallows “illegal” contracting and subcontracting arrangements schemes “of all parties, including cooperatives.”

But on July 23, the President admitted that his EO was not enough to ensure job protection, prompting him to renew his call on Congress to pass a measure amending the Labor Code and effectively ending any kinds of contractualization. (SunStar Philippines)