Labor groups protest DOLE's new policy on contractualization | ABS-CBN

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Labor groups protest DOLE's new policy on contractualization

Labor groups protest DOLE's new policy on contractualization

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

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Photo by Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Labor groups marched to Mendiola on Wednesday to ask President Rodrigo Duterte to fulfill his campaign promise to end all forms of contractualization.

The groups held the protest despite Department Order 168, which was signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello on December 28.

"Umaasa po kami na may pag-asa pa, dahil ang kasalukuyang version ng Department Order ay salungat po sa pangako ni Pangulong Duterte na tatanggalin niya ang contractualization. Kami po ay umaasa na may puwang pa na masunod ang kagustuhan natin ni Pangulong Duterte. Nandito kami ngayon para humingi sa kanya ng pagkakataon na magpaliwanag sa kanya na makakasama itong Department Order," said Allan Tanjusay, spokesman of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines.

(We are still hoping because the current version of the Department Order is contrary to the promise of President Duterte that he will end contractualization. We are here to ask for a chance to explain how this order will hurt us.)

The new Department Order issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) replaces an earlier order, DO 18-A, and puts heavy regulations on labor-contracting practices.

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The labor department is convinced that the new order will address abuses of workers through labor-only contractualization. But labor groups are not convinced, saying that by not banning contractualization, DOLE is allowing the same problems to continue.

The group is asking the President to set aside the new Department Order and issue a new Executive Order that will ban fixed employment contracts.

"Ang problema, lumalawak eh. So, ang solusyon, i-prohibit mo, huwag mo lang simpleng i-regulate," Rene Magtubo, spokesman of Partido Manggagawa told members of the media.

(The problem is getting bigger. The solution is to prohibit, not to simply regulate.)

Among those who attended the protest were several regular workers of Union Pearl Island Commercial Corporation, who were recently laid off and replaced by agency workers.

"'Yun po ang masakit, kami ang tinamaan na hindi naman totoong natanggal ang kontraktuwalisasyon," union president Mariano Llaneta said.

(That hurts. We're affected because contractualization wasn't really removed.)

The group warned that cases like this are bound to continue with new Department Order.

Bello is set to talk to labor groups Thursday, but this early, Tanjusay said they are not expecting any concessions from DOLE.

"Wala na, pinuputol na namin ang ugnayan sa Department of Labor at ginamit lang kami ni Secretary Bello doon sa konsultasyon na 'yon at hindi naman sinama 'yung aming inputs," said Tanjusay.

(We are cutting ties with Department of Labor, Secretary Bello just used us in consultations but our inputs were not included.)

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