Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said on Friday, April 8, that he supports ending the practice of short-term employment known as “endo” or “end-of-contract” in the country.

However, the senator noted that President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the proposed anti-endo measure in 2019 because it over broadened the scope and meaning of the illegal “labor-only contracting”, effectively prohibiting legitimate forms of contractualization that are not particularly harmful to the employees.

“Ako naman po, pabor ako dito sa (ending) endo. Kung na-veto man po ito, may dahilan ang Executive Department dahil masyado pong broad ito noon,” said Go in an interview after he personally visited fire victims in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Go said that the veto was the result of careful consideration and evaluation made by the relevant government agencies.

“Usually naman po pag merong (panukalang) batas, pinag-aaralan ng executive, different agencies. Binibigyan po ng comments. Siguro ‘yun po ang rekomendasyon ng iba’t ibang department. (That is why) they decided to veto,” he noted.

Go said that he is willing to file and support a similar bill that rectifies the concerns of the Executive Department since the said measure is also one of the priorities of President Duterte, as mentioned in his previous State of the Nation Addresses.

“Hindi pa naman po ako part ng Senado during that time so I’m willing to file, to push for its enactment po sa next Congress tutal ito naman po ay isa sa mga priority ni Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang SONA,” said Go.

Go, on the other hand, pointed out that the President issued Executive Order No. 51, which prohibits contracting or subcontracting if it violates a worker’s right to security of tenure, collective bargaining, self-organization, and peaceful coordinated activities, among others.

“Alam nyo, ‘di pa ata ako miyembro nun, 2018 pa ‘yun. Si Pangulo naman, meron siyang inisyu na Executive Order itong… Executive Order 51 signed by President Duterte May 1, 2018 aims to protect the workers right to security of tenure,” he said.

Go went on to stress that the government must balance the interests of all stakeholders in considering the anti-endo measures.

“Importante po dito balansehin natin ang lahat bago natin ipasa ang batas. Balansehin natin ang lahat na hindi mahihirapan… Pero importante pa rin po dito ang kapakanan po ng mga workers, ‘yung mahihirap na workers,” said Go.

“Ayaw naman natin matigil po ang negosyo dahil wala na pong magbibigay ng trabaho sa maliliit na trabahante,” he added.

Go expressed his hope that if another anti-endo bill is filed in the next Congress, it will ensure the security of employment of all Filipino workers.

“So, kapag meron na po tayong ipupush na (anti-)endo sa susunod na Kongreso, siguraduhin po muna natin ang proteksyon ng ating workers at hindi sila mawalan ng trabaho,” he concluded.