Over 300 workers displaced after Misamis Oriental steel plant raid

At least 316 workers were displaced after the government conducted a raid and suspended the operations at Philippine Sanjia Steel Corporation in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, authorities said Tuesday.

“They have 316 employees as of today,” Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director Benjamin Acorda Jr. said in a press conference.

“And in the past, maraming nang issues, incidents, and violations that were found in our record but we are trying to check all these things so we can give you more complete details of these violations," he added.

On Saturday, the Department of National Defense (DND) said 69 Chinese nationals were arrested after authorities raided a steel plant in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, which was linked to businessman Tony Yang.

Authorities found the facility to be allegedly substandard and hazardous to health.

Displaced workers are now being profiled for assistance programs, including emergency employment, livelihood support, skills training, and psychosocial intervention.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it is also working to secure the unpaid salaries of affected employees.

Affected workers and their families may receive assistance through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program and sustainable livelihood initiatives under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Health assessments conducted on more than 100 workers showed they did not have any acute symptoms linked to hazardous exposure, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Authorities alleged that workers in the facility were exposed to unsafe conditions without proper protective equipment.

Amid public concern over reports of radioactive materials inside the steel plant, PAOCC clarified that no nuclear bomb was involved in the case.

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) said elevated radiation readings were detected in certain parts of the facility, including warehouses and production areas.

The detected radioactive isotopes were uranium-238, thorium-228, and thorium-232, according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). —KG, GMA News