End of endo made labor groups unhappy? Why?

Last Tuesday, on Labor Day, I didn’t go to the International Eucharistic Convention (IEC) center to join the Cebu media to meet up with Pres. Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte who was in Cebu to spend his Labor Day celebration. Instead, I decided that I needed a break and went on a road trip to Danao City. Along the way, I couldn’t help but notice that the police closed Juan Luna Ave. because the labor organizations complete with Red banners were poised in front of the Carmelite Church to push with their demands to end labor contracting or endo. But riot police were on hand to ensure peace and order.

Well, as we all read in the news, Pres. Rodrigo Duterte signed an Executive Order (EO) to put an end to illegal contractualization and provide security of tenure for Filipino workers. “Endo,” or “end of contract,” refers to the practice of short-term contracts short of six months that would make a worker a regular employee. Pres. Duterte made this announcement in his Labor Day speech and I dare say that it comes from a President who is oozing with political will and kept his campaign promise.

Pres. Duterte said, “I remain firm in my commitment to put an end to ‘endo’ and illegal contractualization.” Basically the EO that Pres. Duterte signed prohibits “illegal contracting or subcontracting or undertaking to circumvent the workers’ right to security of tenure.” The end of “Endo” has been the battle cry of many labor organizations especially those groups allied with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) where security of tenure is wanting. Pres. Duterte added, “Security of tenure refers to the right of employees not to be dismissed or removed without just and authorized cause and observance of procedural due process pursuant with the Constitution and Labor Code.”

But as expected of Pres. Duterte who is a lawyer, he signed that EO with an open admission that signing the EO would not be enough to ensure security of tenure and he once again exhorted Congress to amend the Labor Code. Pres. Duterte said, “I can only implement but if there are things that need to be corrected, modified to suit the needs or the demand of time... We have to amend or correct or recommend revision or revisit the laws.” At least the President is honest about the limitations of his EO. He did this so as not to give false hopes to our workers.

In the end, the President echoed what Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that there is a need to repeal or amend the Labor Code if the government would seek a total ban on contractualization. Thus, the President urged Congress to amend the Labor Code. It just makes me wonder that if the EO signed by Pres. Duterte would repeal the Labor Code, these Labor groups would now accuse the President of being a dictator because amending the Labor Code is the job of Congress.

With Pres. Duterte signing that EO to end labor contracting, we would have expected a joyous celebration and dancing on the streets by those protesters or rallyists who trooped near the IEC to demand an end to Endo. But when the radio reporters announced that Pres. Duterte finally signed the end of Endo in front of Cebuanos, there were no dancing in the streets. The protesting labor organizations were unhappy that Pres. Duterte signed the EO that they demanded him to sign. In short, there is no pleasing these labor groups.

The Philippine STAR report yesterday blared and let me quote this report, “Labor groups were unhappy with an executive order (EO) on contractualization that President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Tuesday, saying they were “taken for a ride.” A labor coalition, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, said the EO merely reiterated the current regulatory policy that has failed to prevent the spread of contractualization, an

arrangement that offers workers no security of tenure. “Once again, Mr. Duterte showed who’s side he is on with the employers. Pres. Duterte’s EO is useless.”

So what we have here is a damn if you do, damn if you don’t situation! Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said employers would still be able to circumvent the EO. “Pres. Duterte made workers believe that he would fight for our cause. But he fooled us. Just like in any relationship, it’s more painful when someone gives you false hopes.”

Bong Labog, chair of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), said he was saddened that the workers had been taken for a ride. So who are the people behind KMU or Anakpawis?

As I already mentioned… they are allied fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and it is obvious to many of us that their agenda of inciting more trouble in the Philippines to support their communist masters is more important to them than anything that the President signs… So Pres. Duterte must please the Communists first! How sickening!