Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino has directed the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Occupational Safety and Health office to form its own rescue teams and conduct safety and rescue exercises in commercial establishments and office buildings, starting in Metro Manila, following a building collapse in Angeles City that occurred during his first three days in office.
Tolentino made the disclosure in an interview on DZRH News program The Situation Report on September 10, describing the Angeles collapse as a defining moment early in his tenure that underscored the urgency of strengthening DOLE’s occupational safety enforcement.
He said a labor inspection conducted after the collapse revealed violations that resulted in an 11.4 million peso penalty against the responsible party, one of the first major enforcement actions under his watch.
“Nag-collapse ang building sa Angeles kung natatandaan niyo ‘yun. Lumalabas nagkaroon ng inspection, may violation. ‘Yun po ang unang napatamaan ko ng penalty na 11.4 million,” Tolentino said.
He said the directive for DOLE’s OSH office to form rescue teams goes beyond the traditional inspection role, with the teams tasked to demonstrate to establishments how to conduct their own rescue exercises rather than simply penalizing those who fail to comply.
Tolentino said many establishments in the Philippines have never conducted a rescue or evacuation drill, leaving workers unprepared for fires, earthquakes, and building collapses that can occur with little warning.
He said the rescue team initiative complements DOLE’s broader push on occupational safety, which includes inspections of safety gear compliance, a recent plant suspension in Palawan for lacking harness belts, and the ongoing review of safety protocols in the construction sector where 7,000 projects in Central Luzon alone are awaiting inspection.
