Labor groups trust Duterte will sign bill vs. endo before it lapses into law

Top labor groups on Thursday remained convinced President Rodrigo Duterte will sign the "anti-endo" bill before it lapses into law by the end of this week.

In a joint statement, Federation of Free Workers (FFW), Partido Manggagawa (PM), and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) leaders said: “We trust that the President will do what the workers expect on or before July 28.”

Labor leaders. Photo by Joviland Rita

Under the Constitution, any bill that is neither signed nor vetoed by the President will automatically lapse into law 30 days after it was forwarded by Congress.

According to them, the signing of the bill is taking long due to a "scaremongering campaign" by economic managers, employers, and the Foreign Chambers urging the President to veto the measure.

Strong opposition to the bill is coming from businesses and employers desperately trying to stop labor reforms to protect their excessive profits, threatening the government with capital flight, relocation of businesses, and increased costs.

“Huwag makinig sa foreign intervention,” TUCP President Raymond Mendoza called on Duterte in press conference on Thursday.

According to TUCP Vice President Luis Manuel Corral, the reasons for employers and Foreign Chambers in opposing the bill is they can no longer use dummy employers and will have the obligation of providing benefits for their workers.

“Huwag na sanang linlangin ang sambayanan at ang ating Pangulo ng employers at chambers of commerce. Usapin po ito ng simpleng katarungan,” he said in the press conference.

The labor groups think the bill enrolled is a "watered down version" of what they actually envisioned for an anti-endo bill, PM chair Rene Magtubo said it would still be helpful as first step in efforts at ending contractualization.

“Kami ay naniniwala na may positibong bagay itong bill na sana ay pirmahan ng pangulo,” he said. —LBG, GMA News