Duterte told Bello to release new department order on contractualization —labor leaders

Leaders of workers' groups said that President Rodrigo Duterte has tasked Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre “Bebot” Bello III to come up with a new department order (DO) on contractualization.

Federation of Free Workers (FFW) national president Sonny Matula and Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) president Leody de Guzman told GMA News Online in separate phone interviews on Monday night that Duterte said he would not renege on his promise to improve the conditions of workers.

“Inatasan ni Pangulo na maghain ng bagong department order at nagsabi si Secretary Bello na sa Marso 2 ay i-hold niya itong National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (NTIPC) at pag-usapan ang bagong department order tungkol sa mag-prohibit o pag-restrict o pag-regulate ng contractualization,” Matula said.

De Guzman also revealed that Duterte wanted to do away with manpower agencies and labor service cooperatives.

“Pinanindigan niya ang kanyang commitment sa mga manggagagawa na dapat nang mawala ang kontraktuwalisasyon. Kaya inutusan niya sina Secretary Bello na gawin iyong department order na ayon doon sa kanyang atas na dapat wala na iyong kontraktuwalisasyon at iyong mga agency, manpower agency at labor service cooperatives. Talagang ‘di raw pupuwede iyan. Hindi raw pwede,” he said.

"Direct hiring na," he added.

Duterte together with Bello met with over 20 representatives of the Nagkaisa Coalition on Monday night in Malacañang. Matula said the “free-flowing” dialogue with the President started at 7:40 p.m. and ended at around 9:45 p.m. 

While Duterte said he wanted contractualization to end, Bello pointed out that the laws allow some types of contracting.

“Ang instruction ni Presidente kay Secretary Bello ay dapat ipapatupad nila iyong bagong department order na nagpu-prohibit ng contractualization. Pero sinasabi ni Secretary Bello na iyong kasulukuyang batas ay mayroong tinatawag na legitimate contracting na hindi pinu-prohibit. Sabi ng Pangulo na dapat pag-usapan iyan ng labor[er] at ng employer,” Matula said.

“Pero sabi ni Sec. Bello pagkatapos nitong Marso 2 na meeting with NTIPC, ilalabas na nila iyong bagong order kung magkasundo. Kung hindi magkasundo, ang gobyerno o Department of Labor ang magdi-decide kung ano iyong itsura ng bagong department order na ito,” he added.

De Guzman, meanwhile, said that if the different stakeholders would reach a deadlock, the President's marching orders should prevail.

Nonetheless, he said that they were relieved when they heard that Duterte said he would not take back his promise.

“Pinanindigan niya iyong kanyang naging commitment kaya medyo relieved iyong manggagagawa,” he said.

“Siguro iyong kailangan iyong Department of Labor… Mukhang maoobliga na siya ngayon na itono ang kanyang gagawing DO batay sa naging pag-uusap dahil mismo ang Presidente na ang nagsabi sa kanya ng diretso na gumawa ng DO na sa ganoong balangkas,” he added.

As labor leaders hold dialogue with the President in Malacañang, Nagkaisa members stage a rally in Mendiola, urging the government to scrap contractualization altogether.

Labor groups stage rally in Mendiola as Pres. Duterte meets with their leaders in Malacañang @gmanews pic.twitter.com/VM6KfpJAlK

— Trisha Macas (@trishamacas) February 27, 2017

Labor groups are calling on the govt to put an end to contractualization https://t.co/q0XH7v52pK

— Trisha Macas (@trishamacas) February 27, 2017

Bello was supposed to issue DO 168 on contractualization. But workers groups opposed the order as it still allows some forms of contractual hiring. —ALG, GMA News