Labor Secretary Silvestre “Bebot” Bello III on Saturday said the government is looking into possible violations of occupational safety and health standards of the Japanese company involved in a big Cavite factory fire.
“I already gave an order to Undersecretary [Joel] Maglungsod and to the directors of the OSHC [Occupational Safety and Health Center] and the Bureau of Work Standards to look into their possible non-compliance to the occupational safety and health standards,” Bello told state radio dzRB.
The fire that hit the factory in the Cavite Economic Zone in General Trias town was put out on Friday afternoon, 46 hours after it broke out on Wednesday night.
Authorities are now investigating the blaze that razed the three-story building of House Technologies Inc. to ashes, which injured 126 workers.
Bello said at least 30 workers are still confined at the Divine Grace Medical Center and 14 at the General Trias Medical Center. Two workers are in critical condition at Divine Grace, he added.
Bello assured the injured workers of financial and livelihood assistance worth P30,000, plus a 10-day emergency employment program for the displaced workers, from DoLE.
“I have already assured our Calabarzon regional director to give immediate assistance to those injured, including groceries so they won’t go hungry,” he said.
“We can give them livelihood projects and at the same time, make available the emergency employment program,” Bello added.