Senators unhappy, confused over Duterte’s rejection of ‘End Endo’ bill
MANILA, Philippines — Senators on Friday expressed disappointment, and confusion, over President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to veto a bill seeking to ensure job security that he himself certified as an urgent measure.
Malacañang announced Duterte rejected the Security of Tenure Bill, which seeks to prohibit the practice of labor-only contracting or the so-called “endo,” a Filipino-coined term for “end of contract.”
The proposed legislation also requires contractors to obtain a license to engage in job contracting.
READ: Upsetting key campaign promise, Duterte vetoes anti-endo bill
“I'm crestfallen but that's how Democracy works,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said of Duterte’s move. “And Congress being dynamic, can refile and repass the bill.”
Endo is an abusive labor practice where a worker is hired for up to five months to skirt a labor law granting permanent tenure on the sixth month of service, leaving many Filipino workers unprotected and without benefits.
Various stakeholders had expressed their concern that removing "endo," without making it clear that “legitimate contractualization” will remain, might make the country less competitive.
Cracking down on short-term hiring is one of Duterte’s populist campaign promises that catapulted him to the presidency in 2016.
For Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Duterte’s decision to veto a labor bill that has presidential certification “makes no sense.”
“I'm totally bewildered on this new development. Does that mean that a certification from the Palace no longer means that it is a priority?” Zubiri said.
‘Rich and powerful prevail’
Labor groups on Friday slammed Duterte’s refusal to sign the “End Endo bill,” with Kilusang Mayo Uno accusing him of bowing to pressure from business groups.
Last week, a coalition of business chambers urged Duterte to veto the anti-endo bill, arguing that there are existing laws that protect workers from illegal contractualization.
They also warned that the proposed legislation may prod employers to remove low-skilled work through automation and artificial intelligence.
READ: Business groups urge veto of Security of Tenure bill
“As leaders of government, we are expected to stand up for the oppressed, do what is right for a just society,” said Sen. Joel Villanueva, chairman of the Senate’s labor panel.
“But the truth is, sometimes, the rich and powerful prevail. The veto is one of the manifestations of this,” Villanueva added.
The Security of Tenure bill was passed by the previous Congress. The measure has to be refiled in the 18th Congress in order for it to be amended.
Separately, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said: “Any attempt to refile the bill could be an exercise in futility without the administration’s support.” — Ian Nicolas Cigaral with reports from The STAR/Paolo Romero
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