Salome Siaton, Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) director, says the agency is still inspecting the business process outsourcing company in Cebu City. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE -7) is now conducting an inspection and assessment in a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm based in Cebu City.
Salome Siaton, director of DOLE – 7, said they were assessing the Occupational Health (OH) Safety standards of the facility after reports that some of its workers were allegedly enduring poor conditions.
Read more: Alleged ‘subhuman conditions’ in BPO to be checked
Siaton said in an interview with CDN Digital on Friday, April 3, 2020, that they had yet to produce the official results of their assessment.
“We have our inspectors there, and they’re still conducting inspection and further verification to these reports,” she said.
However, the DOLE-7 director confirmed that some of the workers opted to stay inside the office.
“Initial findings from our inspectors showed that some of the folding beds are placed directly on the floor which they find as a concern in terms of OH,” said Siaton.
The DOLE-7 top official also said an inspection would not necessarily entail closure or stoppage of operations.
“There’s no issue involving closure or stoppage of operation right now,” Siaton said.
“Based on OH Laws, there will only be a stoppage order only if imminent danger is present,” she added.
International news organization Financial Times made a report stating that staff members of a customer service group for a tech-giant experienced “subhuman” conditions as they camped inside their office here in Cebu City.
This prompted government officials to verify these claims.
Read more: Sa-a: Alleged ‘subhuman’ treatment of BPO workers, an isolated case
Cebu IT-BPM Organization also assured the public that the incident is an isolated case, and that the BPO company in question would issue an official statement soon. /dbs