Zambales board summons shipyard execs over accident, wages

SUBIC, Zambales—Officials of the Keppel Subic Shipyard (KSS) were summoned to appear before the provincial board on Nov. 16 to show proof it had adequately compensated families of workers who died in a shipyard accident last month and was following strict safety standards.

The Department of Labor and Employment has lifted the suspension order on Keppel operations over an Oct. 7 accident that killed six workers, but “that should not be the end of it,” said Zambales Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain II.

“DOLE needs to ensure that [the company takes care of the victims’ families]. That’s the least they can do given the circumstances,” said Lacbain, who also chairs Task Force Hanjin that monitors workplace safety in the Korean-owned Hanjin shipyard here.

He said he expected officials of the Keppel Subic shipyard to attend a labor committee hearing of the provincial board next week and ensure it would deliver “everything they promised to the families of the six workers.”

Five KSS dock workers, who were repairing the MV Tombarra, a 22,650-ton container ship, were killed on Oct. 7 when they were pinned by a steel platform that collapsed. The sixth fatality, Ronaldo Bagay, died while undergoing medical treatment.

Six other workers were injured and treated at the Our Lady of Lourdes International Hospital in Olongapo City.

KSS officials promised to cooperate with the investigation. Robert Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon