Cebu City condo death: OBO official halts construction works

OBO official discovers several safety protocols compromised

Cebu City building official Florante Catalan ordered the suspension of the construction of  condo in Brgy. Zapatera this morning, June 11, after a worker died at the site on June 10. | Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines – City Hall has ordered the immediate suspension of operations at two towers of a condominium complex in Barangay Zapatera following the death of a 26-year-old construction worker who was fatally struck by a falling galvanized iron (GI) pipe from the 22nd floor.

Julito Bacus Gerada Jr., a mason from Barangay Biga in Toledo City, was working on the eighth floor of Tower D around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10, when the pipe crashed onto his head, killing him instantly despite wearing a hard hat. He was rushed to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival.

Architect Florante Catalan, the city building official, confirmed in an interview on Wednesday, June 11, that they issued an immediate suspension order after learning about the Cebu City condo death.

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“Nadungog namo sa news ganihang buntag nga nahulog daw ang construction worker. Amo dayong gi-order ang suspension aron maadto namo,” Catalan said.

Upon visiting the site, the city’s Office of the Building Official (OBO) discovered that safety protocols had failed.

According to Catalan, the victim had been doing plastering work on a wall at the rear side of the eighth floor when a metal pipe fell from the 22nd floor.

The pipe was reportedly used as a support mechanism for safety barriers installed per floor but may have been dislodged during dismantling.

“Kato na tubo, support to nila kada floor para walay mahulog. Maybe siguro pagtangtang didto maoy pagkahulog, wala siguro naampingan,” he said. “Naigo gyud sa batok ang biktima. In fact, nakita namo ang tubo nga naay dugo.”

He added that even the hard hat Gerada wore showed impact marks on the rear, indicating the force of the fall.

Following the fatal incident, the city also suspended operations at a second structure, Tower B, citing similar risks and safety lapses.

“Ang Tower D didto nahulog ang tubo, mao gisuspend. Among gitan-aw ang Tower B, halos pareha ug setup, so amo sad gi-suspend,” Catalan said.

Further inspection revealed more violations, including expired permits for the use of mechanical equipment such as the gondola and the tower crane.

“Sad to say, expired ang permits. Suspend ang paggamit sa mga mechanicals. Dapat unta yearly ni gina-renew. Karon among gipaproseso ug balik,” Catalan said.

He added that the developer must secure two permits for each piece of equipment: one for installation and another for operation.

“Irresponsable lang gyud usahay ang contractor. Dili dayon mokuha, molapas pa gyud. Kami sa OBO kay magmonitor gyud, pero kinahanglan sad nila magpakabana.”

Catalan said the city is requiring the developer to submit an incident report, mitigation measures, and a justification before the suspension can be lifted. They have been given five working days to comply.

“Gihatagan sila ug five working days to comply. Ato ni i-review kung angayan ba i-lift ang suspension,” he said.

For now, only workers assigned to Towers A, C, and E, structures not covered by the suspension, can continue their tasks.

The OBO stressed that the building owner and developer will be held accountable for the violations and the fatal incident. They also face administrative penalties, including a maximum fine of P10,000 per violation.

In an earlier report, the Department of Labor and Employment in Region 7 (DOLE-7) said the construction industry accounts for the highest number of workplace accidents in Central Visayas, many involving falls, falling objects, electrocution, and collapsed scaffolding.

Regulators have also urged construction firms to adhere more strictly to occupational health and safety guidelines, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), regular safety audits, and worker training programs to prevent similar incidents from happening.

Meanwhile, the remains of Gerada remain at the VSMMC morgue as his family prepares to bring him home to Toledo City./ with reports from Morexette Marie Erram