Duterte asks Congress for ‘much-needed’ law to end contractualization
Credit to Author: RALPH VILLANUEVA| Date: Wed, 01 May 2019 03:45:24 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte called on Congress to pass “much-needed” legislative measures to further protect the rights of workers.
In his Labor Day message on Wednesday, Duterte said that while he signed Executive Order 51 prohibiting contractualization in the work place, he needed a law that would fulfill his campaign promise of ending it.
He said that it was “unfortunate” for Filipino workers to go abroad and leave their families to find better opportunities and compensation.
Duterte said, however, that he was “optimistic” that a year after issuing EO 51, “my counterparts in Congress will consider passing much needed legislative measures that will fully protect our workers’ rights, especially to security of tenure and self-organization.”
He said that the celebration of the Labor Day should prompt all Filipinos to work together and create an environment “conducive to the workers’ personal and professional growth and development.”
The House of Representatives has approved the security of tenure bill on third and final reading.
The Senate version, however, is still undergoing interpellation in the plenary.
Last September, Duterte certified Senate Bill 1826 as urgent.
Ending contractualization
where workers are employed for five months, terminated on the sixth month and rehired with a new five-month contract without the benefits of a regular worker, was one of the reasons why Duterte was elected in office.
In his message, Duterte also commended workers for their hard work, grit and perseverance.
He said the strength of the country was anchored on these characteristics of the labor force.
“Every year, we set aside this day to celebrate their valuable contributions not only in the struggle to provide a better life for our people, but in building the foundations of a more promising future for succeeding generations of Filipinos,” he said.
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