DOLE Eastern Visayas moves to end ‘endo’ by 2017

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 6 (PNA) –- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office here has been visiting private establishments in Eastern Visayas to strongly advocate for the end of labor contractualization and monitor their compliance with the said order.

In response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to end their engagement with “endo” – short for end of contract, the labor department is eyeing the compliance of 50 percent of businesses by the end of this year and 100 percent compliance before 2017 ends.

“Our labor laws compliance officers are trained to assist not just to inspect, see or to find fault, but to assist them on how they could voluntarily comply with the general labor standards including this contractualization,” said DOLE regional information officer Virgilio Doroja Jr.

Doroja added that the department is committed to strictly impose the policy to allow workers to enjoy their benefits just like regular employees.

The department is primarily focusing on malls, hotels, restaurants, security agencies and department stores where end-of-contract scheme is prevalent.

“Livelihood support is readily available for those employees who will be affected if their contractors are sanctioned for violating these regulations,” Doroja said.

Tacloban Ultrasteel Corporation was the first to comply with the policy when it issued appointment papers to 54 workers on Wednesday. It is expected that the other 52 registered contractors in the region will heed the call of the President. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/DANICA-ANN M. ULTADO, LNU INTERN/EGR