Lawmaker upbeat on approval of security of tenure bill

MANILA, Philippines – As the nation observed Labor Day on Wednesday, Senator Joel Villanueva said he is optimistic that the Senate will push for the passage of the bill that will put an end to contractualization in the country once Congress resumes session after the May 13 elections.

“I am optimistic that the entire Senate will push for the passage of the bill and send it to the bicameral conference when session resumes and heads into the final three weeks of the 17th Congress,” he said in a text message to reporters.

The security of tenure bill is now on second reading and is under “period of amendments” as the Senate headed to its legislative break in February, he said.

Villanueva, chairman of the Senate labor committee, added he believes his colleagues will not want to fail President Rodrigo Duterte who certified the bill as a priority bill.

READ: Duterte certifies anti-contractualization bill as urgent

“We trust our colleagues especially in the majority bloc will not want to fail the President who certified the bill as a priority measure of the administration,” said the senator.

Once session resumes on May 20, Congress has three more weeks to finalize the bill before the end of the 17th Congress in June. /gsg