Villanueva vows to refile anti-endo bill

Senator Joel Villanueva on Sunday said he will push for the refiling of the bill to end labor contractualization in the country should he win a Senate seat in Eleksyon 2022.

“Tayo po, isa ho sa ating priority measure sa susunod na Kongreso ay i-file ulit at praying na maipasa itong ‘Ending Endo’ Bill,” he said during Vice President Leni Robredo's weekly radio program.

He then recalled that he was hurt when, in July 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the Security of Tenure Bill or the measure that was meant to eliminate subcontracting of labor and limit job contracting to licensed and specialized services.

“Kung merong isang tao na pinaka-nasaktan during that time when it was vetoed, eh si Senator Joel Villanueva po ‘yon,” Villanueva said.

(If there was one person who was most when the bill was vetoed, it was me.)

“Alam na alam niyo po lalo na sa media, how we worked very, very hard for this measure. Taon ang binilang, consultations left and right, both camps may konting galit sa akin dahil makikita mo talagang balanseng balanse ‘yung ginawa nating version na ito,” he added.

(You know very well, especially in the media, how we worked very, very hard for this measure. Years were counted, there were consultations left and right, both camps were a bit angry with me because you can see the bill was balanced when we made this version.)

Villanueva, who is seeking reelection in the May 9 polls, said he was also surprised when the bill was vetoed as it was a priority measure.

Ending unjust contractualization was a Duterte campaign promise when he ran for the presidency in 2016.

Pro-labor groups frowned at Duterte's veto on the bill, adding that the President's move showed support for capitalists.

“Napakalaging bagay ‘yung bigyan mo ng peace of mind ‘yung ating mga manggagawa kasi kung mayroon pong kapanatagan ‘yung isip ng ating mga manggagawa (it is very important that you give workers peace of mind because if they do), the more that they will be able to perform their duties and responsibilities far more efficiently,” Villanueva said.

“‘Pag naging efficient ang isang manggagawa, mas maganda ‘yung resulta ng kanyang trabaho, mas makikinabanga ang employer, mas dadami ang kita nila, mas magiging kapaki-pakinabang ‘yung empleyado,” he added.

(When a worker becomes efficient, the results of his work are better, the employer will benefit more, their income will increase, the employee will be more useful.)

Robredo, who is running in the presidential race, earlier called for the passage of the bill to end contractualization in the country, adding that Filipinos deserved job security. — DVM, GMA News