President Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent the passage of a bill, amending some provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines to prohibit "prevalent practices of contractualization and labor-only contracting."

Duterte sent a letter dated Sept. 21, 2018 to Senate President Vicente Sotto III certifying the necessity of the immediate enactment of Senate Bill No. 1826.

Duterte asked Congress "to strengthen workers' security of tenure by prohibiting the prevalent practices of contractualization and labor-only contracting which continue to immerse our workers in a quagmire of poverty and underemployment."

Under the proposed measure, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said companies would be required to directly employ the workers.

"No more employment agencies even if they have substantial capital," he said.

Roque admitted it would be a "dilemma" of the administration if there is possibility of displaced workers once the bill is passed into law.

However, Roque said ending endo or contractualization was a campaign promise of the President. Celerina Monte/DMS