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DOLE fines EEI Corp., subcontractors for Skyway Extension project mishap


The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday penalized Skyway Extension project contractor EEI Corporation and its subcontractors for last month's collapse of a steel girder, which killed one person and injured four others.

In an order signed by DOLE-National Capital Region director Sarah Buena Mirasol, the Labor department ordered EEI Corp. and its subcontractors Mayon Machinery Rentrade Inc. and Bauer Foundations Philippines Inc. “to pay, jointly and severally, the administrative fine in the amount of P170,000 for every day of non-compliance from the receipt of this order until the violations are fully rectified.”

The DOLE ordered EEI to submit reportorial requirements as prescribed in the Occupational Safety and Health Standards, which also impose a P30,000 fine per until full compliance.

The construction firm was also ordered to pay P100,000 for “death, serious injury or serious illness” and required it to submit a third party inspection certificate, of which it is fined P40,000 a day until it complies.

Separately, the DOLE ordered Mayon Machinery to pay P80,000 for every day of non-compliance to its order. It also ordered the company to submit an Occupational Safety and Health Program and safety guidelines and procedure on crane operations.

Bauer Foundations Philippines was ordered to pay P130,000 for everyday it fails to comply with the DOLE order. The department ordered Bauer to have additional fire extinguishers, safety signages, directional signages, and submit a proof of clear access for workers and employees.

The total administrative fines for the companies amount to P380,000.

“[Kung] hindi mababayaran kasi naga-accumulate, nagmu-multiply ‘yan by the day so halimbawa since the fine is now P380,000 upon receipt... ‘pag nag-fail sila mabayaran upon receipt, lumipas pa ng isang araw, then another P380,000 ‘pag hindi pa rin on the second on the third day, another P300k.. that's how it works,” DOLE Information and Public Service Director Rolly Francia said in a virtual press conference.

On November 21, EEI Corp. said that a crane that was being positioned for its next task fell at 8:50 a.m., leaving one fatality and four injured. 

The incident pushed back the completion of the project to February 2021.

San Miguel Corp. president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang issued a personal apology for the incident and promised that assistance will be given to the victims of the steel girder collapse. 

San Miguel Corp., the concession holder of Metro Manila Skyway through its San Miguel Infrastructure, is the proponent of the project.—LDF, GMA News