DOLE to get more power under new ‘endo’ bill

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will have greater authority as soon as the new version of the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill, earlier vetoed by President Duterte, is approved.

Under the proposal, Bello said the labor secretary has the authority to determine which jobs are directly related to the function of the company and thus cannot be outsourced.

“It will be done in consultation with the tripartite body, but it’s just consultation and eventually the secretary will take the position,” Bello said during the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum yesterday.

In the vetoed SOT measure, the power to determine what are prohibited and allowable labor only contracting (LOC) activity shall be determined by a tripartite body.

Bello said the employers want such prerogative be given to them, which workers are strongly opposing.

“Management wants to have the prerogative to define LOC and also the labor. It should not be, there should be a middle ground and that will be the secretary of labor in consultation with the tripartite council,” Bello pointed out.

Bello said that in the new version, DOLE is adopting the provisions in the vetoed bill that authorizes the department to suspend or close down companies found to be involved in illegal labor only contracting activities.

At present, he said, DOLE has no power to prosecute or even suspend companies engaging in illegal forms of contractualization.

However, Bello stressed that DOLE is still in the process of reformulating the new SOT version that will be acceptable to both workers and employers.

The labor agency is expected to finish the draft by the end of the month and then submit it to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.