Sotto feeling ‘crestfallen’ over Duterte’s veto of Security of Tenure bill

Senate President Vicente Sotto III. INQUIRER.net file photo / Neil Arwin Mercado

MANILA, Philippines —  Senate President  Vicente “Tito” Sotto III  said he was “crestfallen” or disappointed over President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to veto the Security of Tenure bill.

Malacañang confirmed Friday that the measure had been vetoed by the President.

READ: It’s official: Duterte vetoes Security of Tenure bill

“I am crestfallen but that’s how democracy works. And Congress being  dynamic, can refile and repass the bill,” Sotto  said in a text message to reporters.

The Senate leader, in a separate text message, said  they would refile and  prioritize the measure in the 18th Congress.

“We’ll find an acceptable version,” he  further said.

The  bill, if passed into law, could have ended the practice of labor contracting scheme   in the country.

But a  coalition of business groups urged Duterte to veto the bill for being redundant, citing laws that protect workers from illegal contractualization.

“While the bill mostly codifies into law existing rules, regulations, orders and jurisprudence on matters of labor-only contracting and security of tenure, it likewise unduly broadens the scope and definition of prohibited labor-only contracting, effectively prescribing forms of contractualization that are not particularly unfavorable to the employees involved,” Duterte said in his  veto message obtained by INQUIRER.net.

“Indeed, while labor-only contracting must be prohibited, legitimate job-contracting should be allowed, provided that the contractor is well capitalized, has sufficient investments, and affords its employees all the benefits provided for under the labor laws,”  the President added. /jpv

READ: Duterte vetoes security of tenure bill