Condo builder draws DOLE scrutiny

The main contractor of the condominium project that collapsed and left two workers dead in Taguig City on Wednesday may have some explaining to do regarding its other projects.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) noted that Makati Development Corp. (MDC) has 17 ongoing projects in Metro Manila but only one of them has undergone assessments and received stamps of approval from the agency in terms of work site safety.

In a statement, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Friday said the investigation into the Feb. 4 accident should also check why majority of MDC’s current projects were apparently still without a DOLE-approved Construction Safety and Health Program (CSHP).

“This is incredible. We know that the MDC is a reputable company, but I would like the accident investigation being conducted by the DOLE-National Capital Region to get to the bottom of why it has only [one] approved CSHP,” Baldoz said after receiving the initial report of NCR Director Alex Avila.

“I also want to see a complete inventory of all the projects of the owner, the general contractor, and the subcontractors, not only in Metro Manila, but elsewhere in the country, so we can jointly assess them… and find out the extent of their compliance with all labor laws and occupational safety and health regulations. Workers die in accidents because employers tend to be lax in their compliance,” Baldoz said.

The CSHP is a DOLE requirement for major construction projects as part of their compliance with the country’s labor laws.

According to DOLE spokesperson Nicon Fameronag, MDC has a CSHP only for a seven-story medium-rise building in Pasig City.

The West Super Block project at Bonifacio Global City, where the accident happened, has a DOLE-approved CSHP—but it was issued to the building owners: BG West Properties and Fort Bonifacio Development Corp., Fameronag said.

Based on the initial DOLE investigation, the work site fatalities—Renan dela Cruz, 32, and Ruben Racraquin—were on the building’s lower ground floor when a section of the floor above them collapsed.

“The MDC said its internal investigation on the accident is still ongoing, but initially, it is looking at three possible areas or causes of the accident: (1) structural design; (2) operational aspect, and (3) behavioral,” Avila said.

During an initial hearing, Avila said, the MDC and its subcontractor, Fastem Construction Inc. reported that they had extended assistance to the families of Dela Cruz and Racraquin by shouldering their funeral expenses, giving them P10,000 each for transportation, and paying for their lodgings.

The two companies also presented hospital bills totaling P113,108.14 for the medical expenses of 11 other workers who were injured.

Baldoz said DOLE’s work stoppage order on the West Super Block would remain until the owner, general contractor and subcontractors had complied with all safety regulations.