Let us sit down and talk, says Robredo to find balance on contractualization

By Charmaine A. Tadalan
VICE-PRESIDENT Maria Leonor G. Robredo has called for an “inclusive discussion” between workers and employers to reach a compromise on issues relating to contractualization.
“Alam na alam natin iyong sigaw ng mga manggagawa; mayroon ding reklamo iyong mga employers. Kaya kailangan talagang upuan, ibalanse — upuan na (We already know the sides of both workers and employers. This is why we need to sit down, find a balance of interest),” Ms. Robredo said during her weekly radio show, BISErbisyong LENI, on Sunday.
The remark was made at the wake of Malacañang’s decision last week to cancel the signing of an executive order (EO) abolishing contractualization, also referred to as the practice of endo, which stands for end of contract.
In lieu of the EO, President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who promised during his campaign in 2016 to end endo, decided instead to certify as priority for legislation the related bills pending at the Senate.
The endo scheme has long been a practice allowing companies to hire workers for only a short period of time, which is unfavorable to workers seeking higher salaries and benefits that come with regularization.
Employers, in contrast, assert that ending all forms of contractualization would make businesses and the Philippines less competitive.
Weighing in on the issue, Ms. Robredo said it’s high time for both sectors to find a common ground.
“Iyong reklamo ng manggagawa, hinahayaan noong pamahalaan na iyong practice na ito, parang mag-prevail (On one hand, workers are protesting that the government is letting the practice prevail),” said the vice-president, a former public interest lawyer.
She added: “Ang reklamo naman ng mga employers, kapag masyadong iistriktuhan, ikakalugi naman ng negosyo nila, hindi na magiging competitive, maglilipatan na iyong ibang negosyo sa labas [ng bansa] kasi mas maganda iyong mga terms sa negosyo (On the other hand, employers assert that stricter rules on contractualization schemes would lead to unprofitability, and push some companies to transfer to other countries where terms for doing business are more favorable).”
Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) Sec. Silvestre H. Bello III confirmed last Thursday that Mr. Duterte has decided to leave the issue to Congress.
At present, Senate Bill No. 1116, with proposed title End of ENDO or Contractualization Act of 2016, filed by Sen. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, is still at the committee level; while the House of Representatives version, House Bill 6908, Strengthening The Security Of Tenure Of Workers, has been approved on third reading on Jan. 29, and was already transmitted to the Senate.
The Congress is currently on recess and is set to resume sessions on May 14.