Duterte hand needed on firms’ labor law compliance: group

A labor group on Saturday said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) needs the “powerful support” of President Rodrigo Duterte in enforcing its order to private companies to regularize their workers. (ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA — A labor group on Saturday said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) needs the “powerful support” of President Rodrigo Duterte in enforcing its order to private companies to regularize their workers.

Rene Magtubo, spokesperson of Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, believed that the help of the Chief Executive would persuade big firms to comply with the order.

“The DOLE secretary in this case needs a more powerful support to effectively enforce labor contracting laws and regulations and that would also persuade big companies to comply,” he said in a statement.

“This powerful support is no other than the President who has promised workers to end contractualization and his office that is abound with the authority and power to persuade stubborn companies,” he added.

Magtubo noted that implementing the law against companies reportedly engaged in labor-only contracting would also serve as a “litmus test” to the government.

“Enforcing compliance against stubborn companies is a “litmus test” to the DOLE and President Duterte on their resolve to realize a campaign promise and to effectively enforce laws and regulations to protect workers’ rights and welfare against these stubborn companies,” he said.

With this, the labor group official reminded the President on his promise that he would certify urgent the security of tenure bills filed in Congress “to give teeth to the present labor contracting laws and regulations, in a bid to address the epidemic of labor contracting arrangements plaguing the country’s employment relations.”

Earlier, the DOLE released a list of companies that were found to be engaging in illegal labor-only practices. Included in the list are PLDT, Jollibee and PAL, among others.

The list was submitted to the Office of the President in compliance with the directive before Duterte issuedRE Executive Order (EO) 51 last Labor day.

EO 51 reiterates strict compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting arrangements.