New draft of Security of Tenure bill already in Malacañang –DOLE

The Department of Labor and Employment has already submitted to Malacañang a new draft of the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill, after President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed its earlier version.

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview on Sunday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said they submitted the new draft to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea about "a month ago."

"Before yung pag-draft natin ng SOT bill, nagkonsulta kami sa mga stakeholder, mga manggagawa, mga employer. After that, nakapag-finalize kami ng draft SOT bill. Pero ang utos ng ating pangulo ay makipag-coordinate daw ako kay Executive Secretary Medialdea," Bello said.

"Kaya nung natapos na namin yung final draft ay sinubmit ko na kay Secretary Medialdea yung aming proposed draft," he added.

Bello refused to discuss the "major differences" of the new draft from the vetoed bill, saying he did not want to preempt the action Medialdea will take.

He said, however, that the new draft may be submitted to Congress as soon as it resumes session.

"Pinag-usapan namin tungkol sa LOC (labor-only contracting), yun ang major issue doon sa LOC. Pero ang focus namin ngayon, bagamat constitutional right yung SOT, sa tingin namin mas mahalaga ang employment," Bello said.

"Samakatuwid, ang focus namin ngayon ay yung creation of job opportunities. Kasi ang kailangan ng ating manggagawa ngayon ay trabaho," he added.

Duterte vetoed the early version of the SOT bill as he saw that there were enough safeguards for the business sector under it.

Last August, the progressive Makabayan Bloc refiled the SOT bill, prohibiting all forms of contractualization and fixed-term employment, as well as "job contracting" or the contracting out of work by a principal employer to a contractor, manpower agency, or similar entity. —Erwin Colcol/LBG, GMA News