Workers, employers asked: Comment on ‘endo’ draft guidelines

MANILA, Philippines - In a final bid to find a middle ground, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has again ordered employers and workers groups to comment on a draft guideline relating to contractualization before Jan. 26.        

Undersecretary Dominador Say said DOLE has sent out letters to 13 labor groups, 10 management groups as well as the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic Development Authority.

“We will be consolidating these comments before it will be submitted to the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council,” Say disclosed.

DOLE is expected to come out with a new department order governing contractual employment before the end of February.

Although it is very difficult, the labor department is trying its best to balance the interests of both management and workers in the drafting of the new policy, he added.

“That is why Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello does not want to rush the process. He wants to exhaust all comments so DOLE won’t be accused of favoring one sector,” Say pointed out. “We want everybody to be given their day to comment.”

Workers groups sought to meet President Duterte next month, hoping the Chief Executive would listen to their call to end all forms of contractualization. DOLE earlier deferred the implementation of the new policy governing contractual employment on the groups’ request.    

Bello also ordered all labor undersecretaries to submit their own draft and recommendations on addressing the contractualization issue.

Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod said all have submitted their drafts and are only waiting for a meeting to unify their positions. He added that workers still want DOLE to prohibit all forms of contractualization.

 “The workers want a meeting with the President to explain their side. I think the workers’ demands are valid,” Maglunsod noted.

Meanwhile, Bello said DOLE has over 50,000 local jobs open for all those still looking for work nationwide.        

“Our local job market offers plenty of vacancies. At the PhilJobNet alone, more than 50,000 local vacancies are available for jobseekers,” Bello said.