SOT bill passage likely on Sona day–DOLE

Jovee Marie de la Cruz | BusinessMirror | June 28, 2019

Hope is still alive for the passage of the security of tenure bill  (SOT) before the start of the 18th Congress after it finally gained the support of the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it is anticipating the much-awaited legislation will be signed by President Duterte, either days before or during his State of the Nation Address (Sona) next month.

“We are now just waiting for it to be sent to the office of the President,” Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said in a radio interview.

Last May, the Senate version of the bill finally passed the third and final reading. The said version was later adopted by the House of Representatives bypassing the needed bicameral conference for the bill.

The office of outgoing House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo confirmed it was already signed by the former president.

“The Senate gave the House of Representatives a copy of the bill for the Speaker’s signing only last Tuesday afternoon. SGMA [Macapagal-Arroyo] signed it yesterday [June 26], Wednesday. It should be with the Senate,” Arroyo’s office said.

As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) said it has yet to received a copy of the signed bill.

Once enrolled at the PLLO, the bill may be signed into law or vetoed by Duterte.

Duterte might also opt not to act on it and let it lapse into law 30 days after being received by the PLLO.   Bello, however, said there is a high probability it will be signed by Duterte since he certified it as an urgent bill.

“This is an achievement of our President. No other President was able to achieve this,” Bello said.

The SOT bill, while not outright banning contractualization, is considered landmark legislation since it will impose additional restrictions in the practice of the said work arrangement by licensing contractual agencies.

It will also impose fines against contractual agencies, which will violate its provisions.

With Bernadette D. Nicolas and Samuel P. Medenilla

Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/06/28/sot-bill-passage-likely-on-sona-day-dole/