The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued a work stoppage order against several Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies in Cebu after discovering that they lacked an Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan, a critical requirement for workplace safety.
According to DOLE Region 7, the stoppage order will remain in effect until the companies correct the identified violations and address unsafe working conditions.
“The dispositive part of the Order states that the company is mandated to cease and desist from its operations until all unsafe conditions and unsafe acts exposing the workers to imminent danger shall have been addressed or abated and/or all other violations cited shall have been corrected,” DOLE said in a statement.
The move came after reports surfaced that a BPO company allegedly forced its employees to report for work despite the destruction and safety risks brought by the recent magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu.
In a separate statement, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma emphasized that worker safety must come first, especially in the aftermath of the incident.
He also confirmed that the department has received formal complaints from affected call center employees who detailed their experiences during the quake.
“Kailangan din po nating makita kung sino-sinong mga kumpanya nang sa ganoon po ay maging patas or impartial ang gagawin po natin, upang ma-determine po namin kung ano ang dapat gawing aksyon,” Laguesma said.
The labor chief assured that DOLE will conduct a fair and thorough investigation to determine accountability and ensure compliance with safety protocols before operations can resume.