President Rodrigo Duterte defended his decision to veto the Security of Tenure bill he previously certified as urgent: he said it lacked safeguards for businessmen and capitalists.
“‘Yung sa [On the] security of tenure, eh dapat sinunod nila ‘yung usapan [they should have followed what was discussed]. ‘Yung do not make it hard for the capitalists also to move,” Duterte said in a situation briefing in Batanes.
Senators have lamented at how Duterte nixed the bill just days before it was to lapse into law, putting on hold the fulfillment of one of the President’s campaign promises.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) had also submitted recommendations and proposed adjustments to the SOT bill. Business groups have also decried its possible enactment since it would reportedly discourage investors and would result to job losses.
Duterte, however, repeated he just wants to be fair to both workers and employers.
“The security of tenure should also provide a security of the capital… It should not be na kasi mahirap sila bigyan sila ng ano [because they are poor you should hand out…]. Ano ito demokrasya [This is a democracy],” he said.
The vetoed bill defined labor contracting as a practice wherein a job contractor “merely recruits and supplies or places workers to a contractee.” The measure prohibits business entities from hiring workers on a contractual basis.
It requires businesses to directly hire employees, effectively banning the practice of outsourcing workers through manpower agencies. It also wants companies to absorb or regularize all workers. All employees, including project and seasonal employees except those on probationary status, are entitled to benefits received by regular workers.
