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MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte is unlikely to sign by May 1, Labor Day, an executive order against the practice of "endo" or end of contract, his spokesperson said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the parties involved in the tripartite process have yet to agree on certain portions of the executive order, particularly on contractualization.

"I will now set this out really in clearer terms because I said something is coming on May 1. Perhaps not," Roque told ANC, adding that something else may be announced on Labor Day.

• Stop 'endo' order still in the works, Palace says

Roque said the administration has practically ended the "5-5-5" practice by increasing the number of labor inspectors from 200 to 500. For him, ending "endo" is now up to Congress.

Labor groups had long fought ending employment contracts at a specified time and "5-5-5," or terminating employment on the fifth month and renewing it for 5 months at a time.

The government had ordered PLDT Inc and Jollibee Foods Corp to regularize thousands of workers even without an executive order on "endo."

Ending "endo" is a campaign promise of President Duterte to labor workers.

"Gusto ni Presidente sana magkasundo para magkaroon ng EO. Pero hindi na-achieve 'yung tripartite consensus... So ngayon parang key agencies are inclined to wait for Congress," Roque said.

The Palace official said a bill against "endo" has already been filed when he was still in Congress.

"If we really want to redefine what we mean by 'endo' then by all means do it through legislation. But pagdating sa executive, you can only implement the law," he added.

There is still a possibility that an executive order against "endo" will be signed, said Roque. But he noted that even Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III had said it's better to wait for Congress.