TUESDAY OCTOBER 22, 2019 :r A3
mst.daYdesk@ gmail.com
'Probationary
period dead
0n arrival'
Bv Macon Ramos-Araneta
aid Maricel V. Cruz
SENATE MinoritY Leader Franklin
Drilon on Monday branded as "dead
on arrival" in the chamber the House
proposal to extend the maximum period
bf probationary employment lrom six
months to 24 months or two Years.
"I will oppose its Passage. If the
House passes it. consider it DOA in
the Senate. This is not justified. This
is not reasonable,'r said Drilon.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III
said the proposal practically goes
against the move to remove contractu-
alization, saying it needed a consider-
able amount of studY.
Senator Fra cis Pangilinan warned
that if passed into law, House Bill
4802 may open the floodgates to €ven
greater abuse.
He noted that securitY of tenure of
labor is a right recognized and pro-
tected by our Constitution.
"Lengthening the probationary pe-
riod thieefold prevents the workel
from enjoying such a right under our
Charter," he said.
After fhcing criticisms' the lawmak-
er who authored the bill extending the
orobationary employmenl of work-
;rs to two vears said his proposal had
startcd to dtaw support as "a swift but
lasting fix" to end the contlact manner
olhiring personnel'
Pmbinsyano Ako Party-list Rep. Jose
Sinsson. author of House Bill 4208.
maie the slatement as he reiected calls
lrom oppositors to withdraw the bill.
"Definitely not. Some maY acaePt
this as a middle ground that will lay
to rest the endo controversy but a clos-
er look at its provisions will show its
true pro-labor color." Singson said.
Accordiug to Presidential Spokes-
-mant 'salvador Panelo, President
Rodrigo Duterte agleed with Labor
Secretary Silvestre Bello III to reject
. the proposal.
Singion defended the intent of
his bill.
'lfhis bill will Pmtect workers ftom
being lued every six months and give
them a better chance to prove their worth
as a regular employee," Singson said.
Singson said the bill provided that
workers would enioy Probationary
status where theY would enjoY ben-
efits that were nearlY similar to a
regular employment
Singson also expressed readiness to
debati with colleagues in Congress in
defense of HB 4208' saYing various
workers groups who initially turned
dorvn his idea. were now its supporters
Unil.ei his proposal, workers will
have a longerperiod ofspecializing in
ihe positions they occupy. On the oth-
er hand, emploYers will benefit more
from befter trained workers
t\ pAGa-Ag'