Aquino wants hard lessons learned from Kentex fire

President Benigno S. Aquino III (Photo by Robert Viñas/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)

President Aquino wants government agencies to adopt an “integrated multidisciplinary approach” for a comprehensive response to the hard lessons learned from the Kentex Manufacturing Corp. fire that left 72 dead, most of whom were workers allegedly subjected to exploitative working conditions.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the President ultimately wants to have a “strict or more responsive legal framework” that would make employers accountable for the health and safety of their workers.

“We do not want this incident to happen ever again,” Coloma said in Filipino, referring to the tragic footwear factory fire in Tatalon Street, Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City.

President Aquino on Wednesday called for a meeting with key government officials in Malacañang for an update on the investigation into the

May 13 inferno.

Coloma said at the meeting that the President wanted to be kept posted on the different issues that were exposed following the tragedy.

Coloma said the most pressing issue raised in the aftermath of the incident was occupational safety and health, as well as adherence to labor laws.

He noted that the initial investigation into the fire revealed that Kentex used a subcontractor that failed to follow rules and regulations of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Coloma said Kentex appeared to have failed to follow fire and safety regulations, which is under the purview of the local government and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

He said the President directed different government agencies to study the actions that need to be taken to ensure better protection of workers.

“Perhaps some of these would require amendment to certain laws. It was noted by DOLE that many of our existing occupational safety and health regulations have been enacted into law in 1978 and there were no criminal penalties provided. All these aspects that need to be looked into are being studied to put together a comprehensive response to the situation,” Coloma said.

‘Executive meeting’

On Wednesday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters that the President himself had called for the “executive branch meeting” which tackled the seven-hour rubber slipper factory fire.

“While some people may view it as a local incident, to us, it’s not because it goes into safety measures that should be enforced in industrial spaces,” Valte said.

The fire that gutted the factory killed the son of one of its owners, two of its officials and 69 workers.

Most of the victims’ bodies were badly burned and charred beyond recognition.

The incident raised several questions posed on the company, particularly pertaining to its compliance with building safety measures and its supposed questionable labor practices.

An interagency Anti-Arson Task Force was formed to investigate the incident.

Militant groups that have taken the cudgels for the families of the Kentex workers criticized President Aquino for his failure to visit the site of the inferno.