Villanueva asks DOLE to submit its version of SOT bill
Published Jan 02, 2020 00:00 am
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Updated Jan 02, 2020 00:00 am
By Vanne Terrazola
Senator Joel Villanueva has called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to submit its version of the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill to lawmakers.
Sen. Joel Villanueva
(Senate of the Philippines Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) He also announced Wednesday that the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development will start discussing soon his re-filed proposal seeking to end the abusive practice of employee contractualization or "endo", by companies. President Duterte in July last year vetoed the enrolled SOT bill due to the recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The NEDA called the measure "anti-employment, anti-small business, and anti-new business". Duterte then ordered the DOLE to revisit the "anti-endo" bill and come up with "clearer and more focused" proposal to provide workers with security of tenure. DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello had said that they would submit their SOT proposal to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council last August. Villanueva, who chairs the Senate labor panel, however, said that the agency has yet to give its SOT proposal to Congress. In a text message to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, he said he was informed by the DOLE that "they are still 'consulting stakeholders'" about their proposal. He added that he has "been following up for quite some time". After the President's veto of the SOT bill, senators sought for clarification on the executive branch's position on the "anti-endo" measure. The DOLE, unlike the NEDA, had supported the Senate's version of the SOT bill. Congress is currently on a holiday recess and will resume session on January 20.
Sen. Joel Villanueva(Senate of the Philippines Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) He also announced Wednesday that the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development will start discussing soon his re-filed proposal seeking to end the abusive practice of employee contractualization or "endo", by companies. President Duterte in July last year vetoed the enrolled SOT bill due to the recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The NEDA called the measure "anti-employment, anti-small business, and anti-new business". Duterte then ordered the DOLE to revisit the "anti-endo" bill and come up with "clearer and more focused" proposal to provide workers with security of tenure. DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello had said that they would submit their SOT proposal to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council last August. Villanueva, who chairs the Senate labor panel, however, said that the agency has yet to give its SOT proposal to Congress. In a text message to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, he said he was informed by the DOLE that "they are still 'consulting stakeholders'" about their proposal. He added that he has "been following up for quite some time". After the President's veto of the SOT bill, senators sought for clarification on the executive branch's position on the "anti-endo" measure. The DOLE, unlike the NEDA, had supported the Senate's version of the SOT bill. Congress is currently on a holiday recess and will resume session on January 20.