Senator Joel Villanueva admitted to being “hurt” by President Duterte vetoing the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill that would have fulfilled his campaign promise of ending contractualization, but promised to re-file it if he wins another term.
The senator, who is running for reelection, is the chairman of the Senate’s labor committee.
“Kung merong isang tao na pinakanasaktan (If there is one person who was very hurt) during that time when it was vetoed, si Senator Joel Villanueva po yan (that’s Senator Joel Villanueva),” he said as a guest on Vice President Leni Robredo’s Sunday radio show over dzXL.
“You know how we worked very very hard for this measure. Taon ang binilang (We counted years), consultations left and right, both camps may konting galit sa akin (are angry at me),” Villanueva added.
The senator promised to file the end of contractualization (Endo) bill as a priority measure again in the next Congress.
“Kaya tayo, we are hoping na mangyari ito sa susunod na panahon (For us, we are hoping that this will happen in the future),” he said.
Although he is also a guest candidate of other parties and tandems, the senator appreciated Robredo discussing with him his programs and advocacies.
“Si VP Leni made sure we sit down and talk about our programs especially iyong paggawa and paglikha ng trabaho (in creating jobs) and we appreciate it po,” he stressed.
In July 2019, Duterte refused to sign the SOT bill even after he certified it as urgent.
READ: Senators lament Duterte veto of security of tenure bill, vow to refile measure
In a two-page veto message sent to Congress, the Chief Executive cited the “delicate balance” between employees and employers.
He said it would be more detrimental to Filipino workers if businesses will refuse to invest in the Philippines because of the bill.
Villanueva shared that this was a shock to him because no one from the Palace informed him even though he fully expected it to be signed because it was an “urgent measure, priority measure.”
“Ito po ay binabanggit tuwing State of the Nation Address ng ating pangulo at (This was mentioned every State of the Nation Address of our President and) all of a sudden it was vetoed,” he lamented, adding that he never experienced a bill being certified urgent but was refused to be signed.
Villanueva had asked then-Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia if he influenced Duterte to veto the bill but he denied being the reason for the decision.
“In his own words, the night before it was vetoed, the President met with Chamber of Commerce (officials),” the senator revealed.
READ: NEDA bats for performance-based job security bill
Earlier, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said they submitted proposed adjustments to the SOT bill to the President.
Pernia previously disclosed that "we have to be sure that the law benefits not only workers but also the employers.”
Business groups believed the measure could discourage investors from venturing into the country, resulting in job losses. Instead, they want a stricter implementation of existing laws, including illegal contractualization.