ILOILO CITY — State workers who do not have security of tenure found an ally in Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate who assured on Monday that legislators will not stop until a law is passed ending contractualization in government.
Zarate met with members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) and gave updates about the proposed second tranche of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law and House Bill 7415.
Zarate introduced House Bill 7415, which shall be known as the “Security of Tenure for Non-Regular Employees in Government Act of 2018” when passed.
In a follow up interview, Zarate said the bill seeks to prohibit contractualization, give substitute eligibility to long-time non-regular employees and provide them with a security of tenure.
He said every year, government agencies ask budget for regular positions but these were not filled up.
“Given the situation now, I think we have to start somewhere just like in our problem with “endo” (end of contract) in the private sector. It was a hot issue during the presidential campaign in 2016. I think it was only President (Rodrigo) Duterte who took on the issue,” he said.
He said the law that will end contractualization in the private is now filed in Congress.
He cited that they also have to start somewhere as with the case of government workers, saying their bill serves as a remedy, especially for those who have no eligibility, even a sub-professional certification.
“Hopefully majority of our state workers can benefit if this will become a law, finally,” he said.
Zarate has been in the city since weekend for a consultation about the House bill, which is now with the House Committee on Civil Service.
“We took advantage of the break to consult. Iloilo is the second leg,” he said, adding that their next stop will be in Mindanao.
He added that if the bill could not make it this 17th Congress, then they will refile it next in the next Congress “until it becomes a law and we give conclusion to the problem of our state workers.” (Perla Lena/PNA)
