Labor groups give final push to 'End ENDO Bill'

The End ENDO Bill is at the final stretch. Labor groups are eager to take it home.

"We have taken the fight this far. We expect no less than the passage of the End ENDO Bill," Atty. Sonny Matula, Chairperson of the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition said.

More than 500 workers from Nagkaisa members Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Sentro, Partido Manggagawa, Federation of Free Workers, AGILA, PALEA, UFSW and PSLink gathered at the doorsteps of the Senate Monday morning voicing out: "End ENDO now!"

“We would like to see that Malacañang actively engages the legislators through its Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) as it shepherds the bill to its passage, as it usually does in all certified measures,” Matula said.

In September last year, after continuous pressure from Nagkaisa, President Rodrigo Duterte certified as urgent the End ENDO Bill.

"We call on President Duterte to ensure that his decision to certify as urgent the passage of Senate Bill 1826 is carried to the letter by all his allies in the Senate by passing the bill as it is," Matula said.

“We urge our Senators to follow the lead of Senate President Tito Sotto who said that the End ENDO Bill is the upper chamber's priority at the beginning of the year," said Matula.

Nagkaisa's rally happened hours before Senate Bill 1826 was subjected to the long overdue deliberations at the Committee on Labor.

“It is now up to the Senate, under your leadership, Mr. Senate President, to realize this long-standing aspiration of the workers and the people.”

The Lower House has approved its version of the End ENDO Bill as early as January last year.

"The abuses on contractual and agency workers get worse each day that passes without an End ENDO Law to protect them,” Matula said.

"With only a few session days to go, the Senate is running out of time to deliver on a presidential promise—to end ENDO,” Matula said.

“The President has certified to the Senate for urgent legislation the End ENDO Bill in September. But to our great disappointment, the workers' priority bill was left to the back burner by the foot-dragging of the senators on second reading, who appear to be disinterested in addressing the continuing exploitation of labor,” Matula said.

“Workers are becoming anxious. The rising cost of basic commodities stemming from the inflation caused by the TRAIN Law, will worsen the situation of millions of poor workers who up to now have no security of tenure,” Matula said.

The Senate will be suspending its session to give way to the elections.

“While your legislative work will come to a halt, workers will continue the hard toil.  Ending ENDO will no doubt be a major election issue for us. We will remember those who stood up for workers and forget those who sat idly by the side,” Matula said.

Feb. 4, 2019
Nagkaisa Labor Coalition