Duterte urges Congress to pass security of tenure, other pro-worker bills

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday urged Congress to pass bills protecting the rights of workers, particularly security of tenure and self-organization, as the country commemorates Labor Day.

“I remain optimistic that one year since I issued Executive Order No. 51, implementing existing constitutional and statutory provisions against illegal contracting, my counterparts in Congress will consider passing much needed legislative measures that will fully protect our workers’ rights, especially to security of tenure and self-organization,” Duterte said in his Labor Day message.

The security of tenure bill is still being discussed at the Senate plenary.

Senator Joel Villanueva, Senate labor committee chair, expressed optimism that the Senate will be able to send the Security of Tenure Bill to the bicameral conference before the 17th Congress adjourns in June.

“The President certified this as urgent, and the entire institution would want to see this through. While there have been various positions on the nitty-gritty of the bill, we want a measure that will protect the overall welfare of our workers.  We trust in our colleagues, especially in the leadership of our Senate President, that they will help us pass this measure given the time we have left,” he said.

Duterte also urged everyone to work together in improving the plight of workers by creating an environment conducive to their personal and professional growth and development.

“Today, we celebrate the working class not as a tool of employers and capitalists, but as an essential catalysts for our nation’s overall progress,” he said.

He said the country’s strength has always depended on the hard work, grit, and perseverance of the labor force.

However, he said, the plight of workers, especially those who choose to leave their families and work abroad, remains the same.

Duterte said his administration has implemented measures within its power to afford full protection to labor and promote equal work opportunities for all.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo defended Duterte from the accusations that he is anti-poor and anti-worker citing the latter’s pro-labor initiatives that resulted in the signing laws beneficial to workers.

Panelo also echoed the statement of Philippine National Police chief Police General Oscar Albayalde that rallies scare away investors.

“The KMU (Kilusang Mayo Uno) criticizes the government for being anti-poor and anti-worker while blaming the government for the lack of jobs and alleged worsening labor conditions. What seems to escape them is the truth that their anti-government activities could scare away foreign investors in the country resulting in job losses to the people they are fighting for and vow to protect,” he said in a press statement.

He said the Duterte administration has been in the forefront in improving the labor conditions of workers and the President has signed laws and issuances that:

• strengthen occupational safety and health standards (RA No. 11058),
• making work from home as an alternative work arrangement (RA No. 11165),
• increasing female workers’ maternity leave period (RA No. 11210),
• providing a handbook on the rights and responsibilities of migrant workers (RA No. 11227),
• increasing the employment compensation funeral benefits for employees in the public and private sectors (EO No. 33),
• protecting the right to security of tenure of all workers (EO 51),
• increasing employees’ compensation benefits in the private sector and career’s allowance in the public sector (EO No. 54), and
• granting of gratuity pay to job order and contract service workers in the government (AO No. 2)

Panelo said it is also during the current administration when the welfare and concern of overseas foreign workers (OFWs) were given priority.

“We now have a one-stop service center for OFWs, a 24/7 OFW Command Center and an Overseas Filipino Bank. We have signed bilateral labor agreements with Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, to name some,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News