Villanueva optimistic Duterte will sign ‘endo’ bill

Senator Joel Villanueva expressed optimism Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte will sign into law the bill seeking to eliminate the practice of “endo” or "end of contract" by employers and guarantee security of tenure of workers.

“Matutupad na ang campaign promise ni President (Rodrigo) Duterte. He certified the endo bill as urgent and we will discuss this in the bicameral conference committee next week,” Villanueva, sponsor of the bill, told GMA News Online.

Voting 15-0, the Senate approved the bill on third and final reading Wednesday, immediately after passing it on second reading. 

Aside from Villanueva, others who will be part of the bicam are Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Nancy Binay, Joseph Victor Ejercito, and Risa Hontiveros.

However, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said the endo bill is one of the measures being opposed by the economic managers.

Louie Corral, TUCP labor center vice president, said he personally saw a handwritten note where the measures being opposed were listed.

“Katabi ko n’un si Secretary (Adelini) Sitoy ng PLLO (Presidential Legislative Liaison Office) sa VIP gallery ng Senate nung gabi na pinasa ang endo bill. Nakita ko ‘yung handwritten note, number 6 ‘yung security of tenure bill, Senate Bill 1826,” he told GMA News Online over the phone.

“So I asked Sec. Sitoy, sabi ko secretary nag-usap na tayo nito, ikaw pa nga ang nag-encourage sa akin na itulak natin ito hanggang dulo, he was encouraging us to push it to the maximum so we pushed this bill, so I do not know,” he added.

Corral said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez is into double speak when it comes to pro-labor measures.

“What his one hand give, the other hand take away.  He supports the certification of the bill and yet he is working in the Senate and presumably in the bicam to defeat a pro-labor, pro-people, pro-public interest measure which has been certified by the President,” he said.

He said Dominguez was openly hinting that the DOF actually looks on the security of tenure initiative with hostility and warned that the latter will move to kill the bill as it goes to the bicam.

He added the Finance secretary and rest of the economic managers were objecting the passage of the bill as it will have negative impact on the economy and contrary to the interest of management flexibility.

Sought for comment, Dominguez said he backs the programs of President Duterte.

“We support the President's priority programs that will aim to protect the rights and welfare of our workers while allowing businesses to flourish in our fast-growing economy,” he said in a press statement.

Sought for comment, Sitoy said in a text message to GMA News Online that the DOF is no longer opposing the bill.

Villanueva admitted that there were a number of lobbyists moving for the veto of the bill.

He also said that Dominguez is opposing the version of the bill from the House of Representatives.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed that the DOF is rejecting the House version.

“Yes, they were pertaining to the HOR version. The Senate version is more realizable,” he said in a separate text message.

He also expressed confidence the Senate version will prevail in the bicam and that the bill will not be vetoed by the President.

At least six bills have been vetoed by the President, including those he certified as urgent:

• Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act
• Positive Discipline of Children Act
• Office of the Solicitor General
• Strengthened Philippine Coconut Authority
• Granting Survivorship Benefits
• Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub