DOLE’s ‘non-inspection’ of movie, TV production sites concerns Marcos

Sen. Imee Marcos, during one fo the Senate’s virtual hearing. Screen grab / Senate PRIB file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos on Monday flagged the supposed lack of inspections being done by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in production settings and urged the department to set up a more convenient complaint mechanism concerning workers’ safety in the movie and television industry.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development on Senate Bill No. 294 or the proposed “Eddie Garcia Act,” Marcos asked Labor Assistant Secretary Teresita Cucueco if the DOLE was conducting inspections in production sites for entertainment shows and movies.

“Are there any inspections being made by the DOLE in the workplaces or sites or venues, the destination and locations for shootings and tapings? Kasi ang tagal tagal ko nang nanunuod, nagpo-produce, parang wala naman akong nakikitang nag-i-inspect na DOLE [Because it’s been a while that I’ve been watching, producing, and I don’t see anyone from DOLE inspecting],” Marcos told Cucueco.

Cucueco answered in the affirmative, but Marcos, former governor of Ilocos Norte, maintained that she had not observed such inspections in her home province.

“I don’t want to keep interrupting but really, napakarami nang teleserye at sine na natape dito sa Ilocos Norte at kabisado ko naman sila, in and out sila dito, wala pa kaming nakikitang DOLE maski minsan,” the senator said.

(I don’t want to keep interrupting but there were many teleseryes and movies taped here in Ilocos Norte and I know them all, but we have not seen any inspection made by DOLE.)

“The routine inspections that you claim are actually being conducted, Do you have a schedule or list of the said inspections because I personally, in all these decades, have never witnessed one,” she added.

Aside from requesting a list of the said inspections made by DOLE, Marcos also urged the department to set up a complaint mechanism for labor issues in production sites.

“Hindi po ba dapat may routine, ‘yung regular, or even random visitations? Tapos may complaints base,” she said.

(Should you not have routine or regular inspections or even random visitations? You should also have a complaints base.)

Cucueco said there were complaints submitted to DOLE but noted delays in the transmission of such complaints.

“Because of the delay in transmitting it to us, pagpunta ng inspector namin doon, there was one na parang nagpack-up na, parang wala na sila doon,” she added.

(Because of the delay in transmitting it to us, when our inspector arrived there, the crew had already packed up.)

Cucueco then explained that before inspections can be conducted, the DOLE needs to know first the locations and schedules of shootings so that proper coordination can be done.

Meanwhile, Marcos also asked Cucueco if the DOLE has data on work-related injuries similar to the case of the late actor Eddie Garcia, who died in 2019 after falling into a coma due to an accident while taping for a television series. Cucueco said they have data on work-related injuries, but specifically for construction and other kinds of work.

“On movie production, we will also prioritize this na rin. I know it is also a priority sector that we should look into,” she assured.

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