Sen. Joel Villanueva. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Joel Villanueva on Friday lamented how the “powerful and the ruling class” won as President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the Security of Tenure bill.
“[A]ng katotohanan, minsan ay mas matimbang ang mga makapangyarihan at naghaharing-uri. Ang pagka veto ng ENDO ay isa sa mga manipistasyon ng mga ganitong pagkakataon,” Villanueva said in a statement.
Villanueva, who sponsored the Security of Tenure bill, said “we knew right from the start that the odds were stacked against the measure.”
But he said “we pressed on, knowing that many workers are relying on us to finally end illegal forms of contractualization,” adding that “the heaviest burden was perhaps the unenviable task of meeting that expectation.”
INQUIRER.net first reported on Thursday night that Duterte vetoed the bill. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo confirmed this to reporters on Friday.
READ: Duterte vetoes security of tenure bill | It’s official: Duterte vetoes Security of Tenure bill
Villanueva, chair of the he Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources, said “the bill languished in the legislative mill in the past 20 years” only to be vetoed by the President.
“Today, July 26, the struggle has ended with the veto of the President,” he said.
According to him, Congress has “labored on this bill striving for fairness at every turn, considering every implication as we weaved words into provisions to protect workers from illegal forms of contractualization, and to ensure that businesses will not be at a disadvantage.”
“We are expected to rise above politics to favor the powerless, and do what is just. Most of the time, those in the corridors of power win. Unfortunately, this is one of those times,” he said.
In a tweet Thursday night, Villanueva said profit won over the welfare of Filipino workers.
“What is more fair and just than to protect the welfare of workers who have been aggrieved for a long long time by Endo. #SecurityofTenure #EndEndo #VPositive,” he said.
“We are always concerned of profit losses. Ang hiling po sana natin sa usapin ng Security Of Tenure ay makiisa sa mga mangaggawa na ang iniisip lagi ay pangtustos sa kanilang pamilya tuwing ma e-ENDO. Unfortunately, profit wins again with the veto of the SOT bill. #notgivingup,” he added.
Despite the President’s veto, Villanueva said he would continue to “persevere” to end contractualization in the Philippines, a campaign promise of Duterte
“But make no mistake about it. We will persevere, until we see that no worker will involuntarily lose his or her job because of contractualization,” he said. /jpv