Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Ordinance on seats for salesladies hits snag By Grace L. Plata
THE Davao City ordinance requiring mall operators to provide seats for their salesladies has hit a snag during what was supposed to be its third and final reading.
Upon the motion of Floor Leader Bonifacio Militar, the matter was deferred after Councilor Angela Librado-Trinidad pointed out that the amendment she suggested and was approved during the second reading were not incorporated into the current copy by the Sanggunian secretariat.
This is the revision of the definition of "female employee" which Trinidad said should be based on the definition stated in the Labor Code. This is aimed to make the definition clear and substantial.
City Councilor Edgar Ibuyan, chair of the committee on labor and employment opportunities and proponent of the ordinance, expressed his disappointment that the approval had to be deferred when a third reading means a virtual approval already.
The City Council's house rules state there will be no amendments on an ordinance upon its third and final reading as discussion and debate on the matter as well as suggestions for amendments are to be made during its second reading.
"Maayo man 'to ang suggestion ba. Wala lang unta na defer. Gipa-take note lang unta sa secretariat ang katung wala nila na-change aron sa final copy clear na (The suggestion is good, but that should not have caused the deferment. What could have been done was to let the secretariat note what they have not changed so they could input this in the final copy)," Ibuyan said in an interview.
The ordinance, if finally approved, will be the first major legislation for the council in 2008 and the first law in the country looking after the particular interests of salesladies.
