The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will ask President Duterte to certify the so-called "Endo" bill as an urgent piece of legislation.
DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III made this announcement Monday, July 19 during a virtual press briefing.
"A few hours ago I was talking with Undersecretary Anna Dione and Undersecretary Benjo Benavides because we are going to prepare a letter to the President, his excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to certify the Endo bill ," he said.
Bello said the Endo bill, also referred to as the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill, is currently pending at the Senate.
"Para gumalaw yan (In order to make it move), we are going to request the President to certify this Endo bill para once and for all ay matapos na itong issue ng Endo (so that once and for all, we can put an end to this issue of Endo)," he said.
President Duterte vetoed a version of the Endo bill in July 2019.
The main purpose of the measure--or at least what labor groups want to happen--is to ban the longtime practice of contractualization which prevents Filipino workers from enjoying basic rights that regular workers enjoy from their employers.
"Pagka-sinertify yan, ibig sabihin first in the agenda yan (Once that is certified, it means that will be made first on the agenda). So hopefully after his SONA , and we get the certification from the President, we will see this bill acted upon by the Senate. Kasi pumasa naman yan sa House of Representatives (Because this was passed in the House of Representatives)," noted Bello, who is a former House member.
"So hopefully this coming, the last session, under the aegis of President Duterte ay mabigyang pansin na (it would be given attention )," he said.