Activist now on other side of labor fence

MANILA, Philippines -  An activist who used to fight the government is now at the helm of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he feels comfortable and at ease in the DOLE even if he was on the other side of the fence in the past.

The 72-year-old human rights lawyer formally as­sumed his post as the coun­try’s 28th labor secretary after a simple turnover ceremony yesterday at the DOLE main office in Intramuros.

Militant groups greeted Bello with a protest action in front of the DOLE office.

Bello said he was amused seeing a group of protest­ing workers while he was on his way to the turnover ceremony.

“I used to do that (join rallies), but now I am at the receiving end. But it’s not new to me. I still feel at home,” Bello told labor officials and employees as well as members of the business community, in­ternational organizations and recruitment industry who at­tended the turnover ceremony.

 Bello said he worked with three other presidents – Cora­zon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Gloria Arroyo – in various capacities.

As labor secretary, Bello said he also attended the lon­gest Cabinet meeting presided over by President Duterte on Thursday, which lasted more than five hours.

According to Bello, he was surprised when Duterte an­nounced his appointment as concurrent head of the govern­ment’s peace negotiating panel and DOLE chief.

Bello said Duterte only of­fered to him the post as peace negotiator, which he immedi­ately accepted.

Duterte also declared DOLE would be among the positions to be given to members of the communist group – which, Bel­lo joked, made him suspected of having been nominated by the National Democratic Front (NDF).

Although the post was giv­en to him by surprise, Bello gave assurances that he would work and comply with the marching orders of Duterte to end illegal contractual employ­ment, stop illegal recruitment, maintain industrial peace and reduce red tape in the depart­ment.

“Seventy-two hours is enough time for you to act after any paper reaches your table,” Bello told labor officials and employees.

Bello further assured DOLE officials and employees that they will remain in their posts unless they do something illegal.

“Treat me as a co-worker and colleague. I did not come here at the DOLE to kill,” he remarked.

Bello said he will initiate a performance audit and check complaints, mostly concerning quasi-judicial agencies under DOLE, that he received prior to his assumption to office.

Bello only had praises for his predecessor Rosalinda Baldoz.

He was hoping to equal the achievement of Baldoz, who set a good track record during her incumbency.

Bello said Baldoz did an excellent job as labor secretary and that he did not hear any derogatory feedback against her.

The new labor chief said he would also meet with labor leaders to discuss the imple­mentation of anti-contractu­alization policy at the soonest possible time.

Militant labor groups, on the other hand, expressed hope that the Duterte government would be able to end job con­tractualization, considering Bello has a history of promot­ing human rights.

The Church-Labor Confer­ence (CLC) called on Bello to start implementing the cam­paign promise of Duterte to do away with “endo,” short for end-of-contract or job con­tractualization.

“Contractualization of labor, specifically the practices of unscrupulous employers that directly violate or circumvent labor laws and regulations per­taining to labor contracting and regularization of employment, are arguably the gravest threat to our workers’ right to security of tenure,” the CLC said.

“Like the menace of illegal drugs and criminality in the country, it must be stopped. Otherwise, we will become a nation of endos where workers are deprived of their consti­tutional rights to gainful and productive employment,” the group added.

The CLC, however, con­ceded that addressing contrac­tualization of labor is not that simple as it requires complex and sustainable solutions.

Bello said he is looking at the possibility of seeking the issuance of an executive order or enactment of a new law to implement the ban against contractualization.