Labor group claims unsure what EO Duterte signed

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) on Tuesday claimed they were deceived and unsure regarding the executive order signed by President Rodrigo Duterte and which supposedly strengthened the security of tenure of workers.

“Nagulat po kami diyan at we felt taken for a ride. Parang nagoyo kami,” PM chairman Renato Magtubo said in an interview on GMA News’ “Balitanghali.”

’We were taken for a ride after so much dialog—two years, ibang drafts, wala man lang konsultasyon kung pipirmahan o hindi, tapos mayroong EO,” he said.

Duterte said in his Labor Day speech that he signed the executive order.

Magtubo noted that PM submitted five drafts to Malacañang for the President’s consideration, all addressing contractualization practices in the country.

He said, however, that the EO was not opened to stakeholders for comments.

“We have submitted at least five drafts ng executive order. The latest was April 13, through the Office of the Secretary of Labor, pero walang consultation na naganap kung “yun ang EO namin na pipirmahan,” said Magtubo.

Magtubo said he has yet to see the EO. He said PM was originally pushing for removing subcontracting and direct hiring of employees.

“Hinihingi namin sa EO namin na the administration should have a quality of direct hiring as a norm in employment relationship,” he said.

“Bukas naman tayong pag-usapan ‘yung mga labor contractive practices or jobs and functions na pwedeng contract out per industry. I-subject natin sa consultation sa National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council,” he said.

Magtubo said he was unsure if it their proposed EO was included in the EO that Duterte supposedly signed.

“Isang malaking proposal namin ‘yan na maaaring i-konsidera sana ng Presidente pero April 13 pa namin sinubmit '‘yung proposal na ‘yan,” said Magtubo.

“Wala pa kaming narinig na pag-usapan 'yun or ‘yun ‘yung kaniyang inclined na pirmahan,” he said. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News