New ‘endo’ bill faces veto sans Duterte’s support

“We should secure Malacañang’s commitment that a new version of the ‘endo’ bill will not be vetoed. It will be a futile exercise to revive it without that commitment,” says opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN
“We should secure Malacañang’s commitment that a new version of the ‘endo’ bill will not be vetoed. It will be a futile exercise to revive it without that commitment,” says opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN

MANILA – Opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon said it will be a futile exercise for the Congress to revive the Security of Tenure bill without President Rodrigo Duterte’s support.

Drilon added the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) should agree on one version of the “anti-endo” bill.

“We should secure Malacañang’s commitment that a new version of the ‘endo’ bill will not be vetoed. It will be a futile exercise to revive it without that commitment. The DOLE and NEDA should agree on one version,” Drilon said.

“There is a bipartisan support for the ‘anti-endo’ bill, so its passage is almost a guarantee insofar as the Senate is concerned. However, the question is: will it be signed into law or will it suffer the same fate?” he added.

Drilon said the bill was not included in the initial list of priority measures sent to the 18th Congress during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council last Monday.

“I am less optimistic that an endo bill is possible without the Congress getting Malacañang’s full support. Let’s face it, it is the President who holds the veto pen. Therefore, it is critical that for measures as important as the endo bill that we must secure the full support of Malacañang,” he added.

Drilon said before the Senate tackles the measure and spends resources and time to revive the bill, it is more practical for Congress leaders to get the assurance of cabinet secretaries opposing the measure that they will not stand in the way of its passage.

Under the vetoed bill, labor contracting was defined as a practice wherein a job contractor “merely recruits and supplies or places workers to a contractee.” The measure prohibits business entities from hiring workers on a contractual basis.

It requires businesses to directly hire employees, effectively banning the practice of outsourcing workers through manpower agencies. It wants companies to absorb or regularize all workers.

All employees, including project and seasonal employees except those on probationary status, are entitled to benefits received by regular workers.

Duterte said that “while labor-only contracting must be prohibited, legitimate job-contracting should be allowed” provided the contractor would be “well-capitalized, has sufficient investments and affords its employees all the benefits.”/PN

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