Living up to his commitment, Senator Joel Villanueva re-filed his bill that seeks to end contractualization in the country, stressing the measure is long overdue.
The proposed Security of Tenure and End of Endo (end of contract) bill is the senator’s top priority bill filed at the opening of the 20th Congress on June 30.
“Stop endo or stop contractualization has been the longstanding and resounding call of our workers. Endo or the repeated short-term employment without the possibility of regularization is oppressive and directly undermines the constitutional rights of workers,” said Villanueva, who headed the Senate committee in labor, employment and human resources development in the last Congress.
The bill, which seeks to amend certain provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines, clearly states that “labor-only contracting (LOC) is prohibited.”
Specifically, it provides that LOC exists when the contractor merely supplies workers to the principal; the workers supplied are performing tasks directly related to the principal business of the contractee; and, the contractor does not exercise direct control over the deployed workers.
Villanueva pointed out that the business of mere supply of labor for the performance of directly related tasks is an indicator of LOC and the practice of wholesale outsourcing of core functions, which undermines the constitutional guarantee of security of tenure.
“This provision has been favorably endorsed by the Department of Labor and Employment based on its practical experience with enforcement and litigation,” the senator said.
He added that the Labor department believes the amendment will simplify the interpretation and implementation of the law and reduce legal ambiguity.
Villanueva also emphasized that the bill empowers the industry tripartite councils to determine which jobs are directly related to the main business of a contractee or the principal.
“Through the tripartite process, workers can voice their concerns about job outsourcing, while employers can present the operational realities and evolving demands of their business,” he said.
“This framework ensures that labor policy remains relevant, flexible, and balanced,” he added.
Villanueva expressed optimism the bill will receive support from lawmakers and Malacanang for its speedy passage.
“It’s high time for Congress to find a way to grant security of tenure to thousands of contractual workers in the private sector,” Villanueva said.
“The grant of regular status will make our workers more productive, innovative and driven. Investing in our human resources will be very well worth it,” Villanueva added.
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