DAVAO CITY – A non-government organization concerned with workplace safety said they are disappointed over the report of Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III regarding the Kentex slippers factory fire tragedy which claimed almost 80 lives.
The report which was presented to the media on Monday “raised disturbing questions as to how the government gives importance to workers’ health and safety”, said the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety for Development (IOHSAD).
“The president’s presentation cannot conceal the facts that show that national agencies, particularly the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), [are] highly accountable for the worst workplace tragedy in the country’s history,” the group said.
IOHSAD said that DOLE, the agency which has the sole authority to issue compliance certificates to establishments with regard to occupational health and safety standards and other labor standards, was “overlooked and spared by the president’s report.”
Nadia de Leon, IOHSAD advocacy officer said Aquino’s report “reflects just how little the government values occupational health and safety and workers’ basic right to life.”
“Pinning the blame on the local government and exempting the Labor Department from any criminal liability and serious breach of duty trivialize this great loss of lives and blatant disrespect of worker’s rights,” said De Leon.
De Leon said Aquino “clearly ignored the public’s outrage over the Labor Department’s fatal error of issuing a Certificate of Compliance.”
“The Kentex fire is not an isolated case of the government’s neglect of worker’s right to occupational health and safety. The long list of work-related deaths under President Aquino’s term shows the government’s failure to ensure safe working conditions for workers,” added De Leon.
De Leon cited the death of 10 workers in Eton Towers in 2011, six workers in Keppel Shipyard in 2011, 17 workers in Novo Jeans and Shirts in 2012, eight workers in Asia Micro Tech in 2014 and 11 workers in Guiguinto in 2015.
De Leon said Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, DOLE-National Capital Region Director Alex Avila and LLCO Vedasto should be held liable for the workplace tragedy which has claimed the lives of many workers and caused the sufferings of many survivors and their families.
“Coddling these criminally-liable officials could only strengthen the culture of impunity when it comes to violations of workplace safety. It is simply unacceptable that he is being hard on his political enemies but soft on top officials within his inner circle,” De Leon said.
