Some 25,000 contractual workers have become regularized as the Duterte administration is eyeing to end this unfair labor practice by the end of 2017, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing in Malacanang, Bello said as of two weeks ago, the labor department noted the regularization of some 25,000 contractuals.

"But in proportion to our work force, it's still small. Because 25,000 is probably less than 10 percent of the entire workforce in our country today," Bello said.

"The target is zero 'endo', zero illegal contractuals by the end of year 2017 and it is doable," he said.

He said the target is doable with the cooperation of the management.

"In fact, I should have mentioned this earlier, coming from the Department of Trade and Industry and together with the management group, they came up with a win-win proposal," Bello said.

He explained under the trade department proposal and the management group, manpower agencies which supply workers to some businesses, such as retail outlets and department stores, will assume the role of an employer.

"They are the employers and the workers are the employees. So there is now an employer-employee relationship. So no more contractuals, no more endo," Bello said.

But he admitted that when the labor department consulted with workers, they "vehemently" opposed the proposal because of being "anti-union and there is no security of tenure."

"But again, we still have to keep the balance and that is what is, our main responsibility in the department, how to serve this impasse between two sectors," Bello said.

Bello acknowledged there are workers who are seasonal and project-based employees, which are not illegal. Celerina Monte/DMS