The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is aiming to double the count of regularized workers next year upon signing of a forthcoming memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop).

In an ambush interview, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said ongoing talks with Ecop about the accord is now on its final phase.

“We were able to regularize almost 500,000 contractuals [since 2016]. Based on the commitment of Ecop that they will regularize all of the employees of their corporations, we hope to double that number by year 2019,” Bello said.

Last August the DOLE announced it is anticipating that around 300,000 contractual workers will be absorbed by their employers upon signing of its new MOA with Ecop.

The completion of the MOA was delayed as both parties ironed out the specifics of the accord.

Contentious issue

Labor Assistant Secretary Benjo M. Benavidez said Ecop have already came out with its own draft of the MOA, which has now gone through several revisions.

“There is only one provision we still have not agreed. This refers to the percentage [of contractual workers] to be regularized if a company is issued final and executory [regularization order]. This is still in the works,” Benavidez said.

Bello said they are targeting to finalize the MOA with the Ecop before the end of the year.

Benavidez explained they decided to enter into an agreement with Ecop to encourage employers to voluntarily absorb their contractual workers and avoid the lengthy legal process, which comes from their regularization order.

He cited the result of their anti-illegal contractualization campaign as proof of the feasibility of the concept of voluntary regularization.

Out of the 403,355 regularized workers since 2016, over half or 228,000 were voluntarily done by their employers.

Top achievements

During the 85th anniversary commemoration of the DOLE on Thursday, Bello cited the gains of their campaign against illegal contractualization as the top achievements of his stewardship.

“It was the campaign promise of our President to end illegal contractual arrangement. Although we did not totally eradicate it. We set the trend by achieving what seemed to be unachievable by regularizing about 500,000 workers,” Bello said.

Another highlight of the DOLE celebration was the signing of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act  11058, or the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act.

This comes after the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC) finally approved the IRR.

Sonny G. Matula, Federation of Free Workers President and TIPC labor representative, lauded the development which he said will usher in fewer workplace accidents.

“Despite the fact that workplace accidents would always prompt tighter regulations, compliance by all industries continue to be an issue, we hope that the law and rules will address these concerns,” Matula said.

Among the salient points of the IRR, Matula said, is the updating of the “archaic provision on penalty with maximum fines of only P10,000 is now increased to P20,000 to P100,000 per day of violation depending on the gravity of the offense.”

Benavidez said the TIPC has agreed on bracket system for the penalty for violating the OSH law.