Dole chief stop-work order stays for 3 Cebu projects

Suspension covers IT Park building,  hypermart, apartelle in Lapu-Lapu

Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga of the Department of Labor and Employment says work suspensions of three construction projects will only be lifted once they comply with labor laws and labor safety laws.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

The Labor department’s work suspension order on   three construction projects in Cebu stays.

Director Exequiel Sarcauga of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas said yesterday the contractors of the three projects had not yet complied with all the requirements needed by the labor department.

These projects are: Dakay Construction and Development Corp. and Cebu Landmasters  Inc. project at the Cebu IT Park in barangay Lahug; SM Hypermart at the Mactan Economic Zone II in barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City undertaken by Momentum Construction and Development Corp.; and, the Laurence Apartelle Construction project in Lapu-Lapu City.

The SM Hypermart project was suspended starting Jan. 7, Dakay Construction and Development project got its work-stoppage order on Feb. 18, and Laurence Apartelle’s work-suspension order took effect last March 12.

The suspension order will only be lifted once the deficiencies of the occupational safety and health standards will be corrected, said Sarcauga, during yesterday’s 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza.

The labor department has already lifted the suspension order on three other projects which complied with the Dole requirements. These projects are: the Chong Hua Hospital project at the Mandaue Reclamation Area; Visayas Community Medical Center, along Osmeña Boulevard,  Cebu City; and, the Asec Construction project in Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City.

Dole-7 closely monitors construction projects in Cebu and slaps suspension orders on projects where contractors do not follow labor laws and labor safety standards. The Dole action  followed the death last year of a painter, who fell in a construction project at the FLB Corporate Center at the Cebu Business Park.

“We are also on track in monitoring the construction industries to prevent accidents. No construction should go on if it’s not safe for the workers,” Sarcauga said.

The labor department earlier said that it ordered work stopped at SM Hypermart project in barangay Basak because the contractor had no approved structural design of a “monkey ladder” used as scaffolding for exterior work of the building.

The DOLE inspectors also found that the workers did not have protective equipment and the scaffoldings assemblers did not possess certificates of training.

Dole said the contractor also had no safety officer and first aid officer. There was also no construction safety and health program in place.

The two other projects have similar violations.

Sarcauga said earlier that he ordered the work stoppage of the Dakay Construction Project at the IT Park after inspectors found out that the some workers were using substandard scaffoldings.

Sarcauga also said that despite the work order stoppage of the project, the company should still pay their  workers’ salaries.

Sarcauga said they are also holding an on going safety training, which is attended by building officials, who issue building permits and can help them monitor safety standards.

According to the Labor Relations Standards Division, 12 workers were injured while one died in construction accidents last year in Cebu.