Sancho: This could lead to a massive protest
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s veto of the security of tenure bill, which would have ended the practice of “contractualization,” several local labor groups said they may demonstrate against the decision. General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) Secretary General Wennie Sancho said a national conference for all labor representatives will be held in Manila next week, from July 30 to 31.
“We were dismayed because Duterte reneged from his campaign promise to end [contractualization],” he said. “It is a sad day for the workers.”
The labor official called the veto a “big blow to the labor sector” and claimed, through the president’s action, contractual workers are being denied “social and economic benefits.”
“We felt we were taken for a ride,” Sancho added. “This could lead to a massive protest.”
Despite the veto, the president affirmed his support to ending the practice of contractualization but noted some provisions required before eliminating the custom including the ability for companies to conduct “legitimate job-contracting” and ensuring businesses have the ability to determine whether it is feasible to outsource certain jobs.
Ahead of the veto, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said in a report, from an employee standpoint, it is “not adequate.”
“The legislation should do something that would benefit not only the employers but also the workers,” he explained./DGB, WDJ