VARIOUS labor groups on Tuesday expressed optimism their demand for the total prohibition of contractualization will be realized, after labor leaders held a dialogue with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang.
The Nagkaisa labor coalition —which consists of 47 labor federations and workers’ organizations in public and private sectors which include Associated Labor Unions, Partido Manggagawa, Sentro, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Federation of Free Workers, National Confederation of Labor, Philippine Airlines Employees Association, PSLink, Philippine Government Employees Association—held a three-hour dialogue with Duterte Monday evening.
In a statement, the labor groups said the President demonstrated empathy and understanding for the plight of Filipino workers by reiterating his position that he is not going to renege on his promise to end contractualization both in the private and public sector.
President Duterte directed Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to come out with a Department Order that will meet the objective of restoring the norm of regular jobs through direct hiring, the Nagkaisa said in a statement.
The President also indicated he was inclined to honor the request of the labor group to certify HB 4444 of Rep. Raymond Mendoza (TUCP Party-list) as an urgent administration measure.
The labor group said: “Contractualization only enriches the employer but keeps the workers poor and unable to plan a better life for the future.
“Many agencies are also owned by the employers and are just a legal camouflage to prevent the regularization of workers and to defeat the workers ‘exercise of their rights under the Constitution.”
The dialogue ended months of speculation in the business community the President may only be after agencies practicing endo (the hiring of workers only for five months) as he categorically stated his policy extends fully to ending contractualization through middlemen or manpower agencies.
More than a third of total workforce employed in establishments employing 20 workers and above are considered ‘non-regular,’ according to the latest survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The number would rise significantly had the survey covered firms employing 20 workers and below as they comprise more than 90 percent of registered business establishments.
The Nagkaisa also urged fellow workers to remain vigilant to make sure that government bodies are under instruction to comply with their demands and not stray out of line.
