No executive order yet to end ‘endo’

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 12:45 p.m.) — Workers came home yesterday disappointed after President Duterte failed anew to sign a proposed executive order prohibiting end of contract (endo) and other illegal forms of contractualization.

Sonny Matula, president of Federation of Free Workers (FFW), said Duterte asked for more time to study the draft executive order submitted by various labor groups.

“He did not issue an order and instead asked that he be given another month so that the presidential legal office could review the proposal before he signs it,” Matula said in an interview.

Duterte met with representatives of labor unions in Malacañang yesterday afternoon to discuss various issues, including contractualization, affecting workers.

Labor groups have long been urging Duterte to prohibit all forms of contractual employment.

Before meeting with the President, Matula said labor leaders and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III had agreed to make amendments on the proposed EO.

FFW vice president Julius Cainglet said workers were disappointed that Duterte did not sign the proposed EO despite appeals from various labor groups.

He said trade groups would continue to hold protest rallies to push for the issuance of the order against contractualization.

Labor coalition Nagkaisa and militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno said it is time for the President to fulfill his promise to ban contractualization, which is being used by employers to avoid regularizing employment status of their workers.

“The workers will not drop the issue. We will continue to persist and advance the struggle of the workers to security of tenure toward ending contractualization,” Matula said.

Editor's Note: Latest update of the story corrects the organization Mr. Sonny Matula is heading. It is the Federation of Free Workers, not the Associated Labor Unions.