Security of Tenure Act: The end of contractualization

The Security of Tenure Act of 2016 should be reconsidered by the president to protect the
rights of laborers and employers. This act aims to totally prohibit contractualization and all its
forms in order to give employees the right benefits that they deserve. Security of tenure will be
stronger and abusive practices of contractualization will end. Employees will also perform better
and will be more dedicated because their jobs are already secured. They will have proper training
and the right amount of experience to develop their skills that will help the company to be more
productive and successful.

Almost of the Filipino workers having a contract that lasted for 5 to 6 months are
deprived from getting the benefits that a regular employees get. One of those benefits is the
government mandated PhilHealth that could give assistance to the laborer and to his/her family
when they are admitted to the hospital, SSS will give security when the time will come for
retirement, that the retired worker will expect to receive his/her pension, and Pag-Ibig is where
the worker can avail a housing loan and a multi-purpose loan. Another benefit that the
contractual worker cannot get are the paid leaves. Sick leave is given to employee who will be
unable to work effectively because of illness, it allows employee to take some time for healing
and self-care. And maternity leave, given to a female employee either due to childbirth or
miscarriage the employee will receive a daily cash allowance equal to their average daily salary.
The 13th month pay that the full-time employees get every year not later than December 24, it
covers a cash equivalent of unused vacation and sick leave, premium pay, holiday pay, and other
allowances and monetary benefits that are not considered as part of an employee's basic salary.

An employee who has job security will be more dedicated to success than who dreads the
day the contract ends. Providing a job security for the workers can be an advantage to the
company since it can help improves the company's reputation as a good employer, when there
are top talents looking for a new job opportunity they are likely to go through a lists looking for a
best employers in their field before deciding where to apply. Hiring an employee that is best on a
certain field can be a great help in the company and for the future. Secured employees can do
their best work instead of worrying about the short-term contract employment they can relax and
do their best at work. The employees who do not fear for their jobs are the ones who will
perform to their highest level. Workers who settle into a long-term position are said to achieve
their career goals and uses it as motivation to improve their performance at work. Moreover, the
employees' job security will improve the company's bottom line with so much competition in the
market, the company cannot afford to spend for recruitment of new employees, it will not only
costly but it can also take time to find new employees that are suitable for the job, aside from the
cost of recruiting new employees the company also need to pay for the training for the
employees to trained up to standard and performing to the company's standards. Instead, the
company can use the money to create new product or to improve a certain product or service.
When the company already have a group of employees who are working together for a long time,
they are probably to work on dynamic new projects and create innovation.

Trainings are needed for the new recruits to do well in company and to give them time to
adjust and to aligned their skills to the standards of company. The company needs to allocate a
budget for the training of new workers, it will be costly and it requires to spend time to make
sure that the training will went well and to reach the company's standards. Rather than spending
for the training of new employees the company can apportion the fund to the employees to be
added to their benefits and such. A new employee can experience a corporate culture shock
because of the new environment. In order to prevail the culture shock the employee needs time to
adjust at his/her new working environment. The adjustment can help the employee to do his/her
job effectively and efficiently, this set up can both give benefit to the employee and the
company. The contract of the contractual workers usually only lasted for 5 months and it is said
that it needed 5 months for a new employee to fully do well on his/her job, in this situation the
skills of a worker is not completely used. For a truly outstanding employee it takes almost 8
months to perform the tasks proficiently and for the normal employees it takes for one to two
years to do the tasks very well. Every time this happens the disadvantage is not only on the
employees but also to the company.

The Chief of executive should reassess his decision about the implementation of Security
of Tenure act of 2019 or also known as End-Endo Bill for the protection of the rights of laborers.
The people under contracts that only last for 5 months or less doesn't receive benefits that regular
employees receive. Regular employees who has job security is more productive and the company
can utilize their skills because they are more dedicated to their jobs than those who dread the
day their contract ends. Employees' skills will only be enhanced through training and the
continues practice of their field. If the President approves this act, employees will be able to
exercise their rights more because they can receive the benefits that they deserve, the training
and experience that they need, and the security in their jobs.

References:

Mendoza R. (2016) House Bill no. 4444. www.congress.gov.ph>basic_17

Joyce S. (2019) The Advantages and Disadvantages of Temping. www.job-hunt.org

Generalao M. (2019) Still no law on endo but more laws for workers benefits, protection.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/business.inquirer.net/269325/still-no-law-on-endo-but-more-
laws-for-workers-benefits-protection/amp