‘End of boladas”: Labor group on non-prioritization of anti-endo bill

Malacañang’s announcement that the anti-endo bill that was refiled in Congress after Duterte’s veto in 2019 is no longer a priority legislation did not surprise organized labor.

“Workers no longer expect anything from President Duterte after that shameful veto of the bill in 2019. He is a non-sequitur after that, hence, the claim of Usec. Jacinto Paras that sectors had not been voicing out their opinions on the issue after that veto is a statement of fact as we believe that restating a truckload of arguments on endo will not rectify a farce,” declared Nagkaisa Chairperson Sonny Matula.

He added that the "end endo" campaign of the Duterte administration is a "ningas cogon" propaganda and has no more ember to sustain its energy to bite. “We are back to the old days of labor-only contacting, 555 and all form of precarious work, being practiced with alacrity, both in private and public sectors,” said Matula.

Matula said it is in fact Duterte’s end endo debacle and his mishandling of the pandemic response that compelled the coalition to launch the #EnDoterte call on Labor Day and will campaign for this platform come the 2022 elections. 

For Josua Mata, Secretary General of Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), “Waiting for labor and employers to agree on a security of tenure bill is like waiting for Godot. It once again proves what we have been saying all along - Duterte intended to hoodwink workers into thinking that he is on their side. That is why Duterte and his ilk have to go. Goodbye, Duterte!”

On his part, Partido Manggagawa (PM) chair Renato Magtubo finds the announcement as the Palace’s official way of ending a script. “In the first place, Duterte’s end endo pledge in 2016 is a farce that’s ridiculously hard to keep for a pro capitalist politician. Kung naduterte ang manggagawa ng isang boladas (deception), manggagawa naman ang mangangamanya ngayon ng EnDoterte,” he said.  

Even in the public sector where the President exercises control and supervision, contractualization remains a major problem, according the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK). “We are not at all surprised since the number of job orders and contract of service in the public sector has ballooned to nearly a million workers under his term. Not to mention more than 300,000 barangay workers working without pay and protection as frontliners during the Covid pandemic. That's the highest number of public sector ENDO workers in all administrations. What can you expect from a President that not only allows contractualization in his own backyard, but also encourages it,” said PSLINK President Annie Geron. 

“Mabuti pa si Mayor Vico Soto, ended na ang endo sa Pasig LGU,” she concluded. ###

In 2016 presidential campaign, Duterte declared that the moment he becomes President contractualization will stop. He even warned employers who are practicing endo that they will not only lose their money but also their pants.

Labor Groups call for ENDOterte, not Duterte for VP

Labor groups are incensed at the announcement of President Rodrigo Duterte that he is running for the second highest position in the land right after his dismal performance as President characterized by grave abuse of workers’ and human rights; and very poor pandemic response.  

“We are already tired of Duterte’s ‘kill, kill, kill’ languange and cursing. We are not slaves or subjects of a notoriously criminal king. We deserve respect as humans and as workers from our leaders,” said Atty. Sonny Matula, Nagkaisa! Labor Coalition Chairperson and Federation of Free Workers (FFW) President. 

His running is an insult to at least 30,000 families he left without mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and children in his bloody war on the poor. 

“This is a treacherous ploy to circumvent the consitution and to perpetuate oneself to power,” said Renato Magtubo, Nagkaisa! spokesperson and Partidong Manggagawa Chairperson. 

“This only proves how fearful he is of losing power. After all, he knows he’s facing possible jail time for all the atrocities he committed,” said Josua Mata, Secretary General of Sentro.

It seems Duterte wants to perpetuate himself in power to protect himself from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC should do its sworn task and formally investigate Duterte for his alleged crimes against humanity, bordering on genocide. 

“The possibility of President Duterte running for vice president in the 2022 national elections is a "sorrowful jab" lacking any sense of statemanship from the highest  executive,” added Matula. 

It aggravates the “present agony and sorrow” of the Filipinos and does not provide a ray of hope for  the future. 

“He is already tired as he admitted several times. Another elected post as VP in 2022 is another heavy  burden to bear for Filipinos,” said Matula. 

His presidential failures cannot be redeemed by running second only to his daughter or his former aide.

“For more than five years, women have been at the receiving end of his verbal abuse, mysogynist acts and insecure ways around powerful women whom he has persecuted and publicly ridiculed for his own selfish means. Enough,” said Judy Miranda, chair of the Nagkaisa! Women’s Committee.