An official of the Labor department on Friday, March 16, said there was no deadline set for the signing of the executive order (EO) being pushed forth by labor groups to end contractualization or “endo,” as promised by President Rodrigo R. Duterte during his election campaign.

“The President did not deny the fact that he made that commitment to end endo or contractualization in his campaign. However, the executive order was prepared by labor groups. The President said he will have it studied first so wala naman pong (there was no), as far as the EO, wala naman pong sinet na (there was no set) deadline,” Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Jacinto V. Paras said in a press conference on March 16.

However, DOLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III was quoted last month as saying that the EO will be signed “by March.”

“As a matter of fact, I can speak being the undersecretary that handles the legislative, we are actually pushing for the passage of a law that would end contractualization,” Mr. Paras said.

“From my personal point of view, maski mag-issue ka ng (even when you issue an) EO, tapos biglang magpasa ‘yung Congress ng batas (then Congress passes a law), the law will prevail. There is a conflict in the EO that they are pushing versus the law, eh ‘yung batas ang magpe-prevail (the law shall prevail),” he added. — Minde Nyl R. Dela Cruz

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