Eton contractors fined P5M for not paying right wages

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has slapped a P5 million fine to the contractors and subcontractors of the Eton Residences project in Makati City for their failure to pay the right wages to their construction workers.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said on Wednesday the penalty of P5,239,857.19 was imposed on 15 Eton contractors and subcontractors after an inspection by DoLE-National Capital Region director Raymundo Agravante showed that they failed to pay the correct wages to their workers.

The inspection was held after an accident at the construction site of Eton in Makati City, killed 10 workers in January.

DoLE also provided P50,000 worth of livelihood assistance to each of the victims who died and to another one who was injured when the gondola at Eton Residences fell from the 32nd to the 7th floor on January 27.

“The families of the victims are now engaged in the setting up of income-generating livelihood to help them recover from the tragedy,” said Baldoz, citing information from Labor Undersecretary Lourdes Trasmonte.

“Agravante reported that as a result of the DoLE-NCR’s inspections, double indemnity penalties totaling P5,239,857.19 have been enforced on Eton contractors and subcontractors,” Baldoz said.

She said the contractors and subcontractors fined were Arlo Aluminum Co. (P1,008,106.00), EM Pion Glazing (P1,005,092.00), Jose Aliling Construction Management (P496,632.99), CE Const. Corp. (P112,109.00), Beta Electric Corp. (P402,458.49), Citiaire Industrial Services (P882,658.03).

They also included Philippines Plumbing Company, Inc. (P863,077.29); Dura Ironworks, Inc. (P59,994.35); Inext Finishing Works, Inc. (P684,106.49), Sammy Esguerra, Inc. (P217,691.66), SSI Metal Corp. (P26,012.00), John (Jah) Owen Martin Const. Corp. (P56,540.00), Associate Builder Int’l. Inc. (P24,301.30), Avesco Marketing Corp. (P77,237.31), and Alpha Seven Trades, Inc. (P324,290.28).

Baldoz said that DoLE was also coordinating with its regional offices in providing assistance to the victims’ families.

“The family of Kevin Soto Mabunga, 17, a minor from Bagacay, Buenavista, Marinduque, who died in the accident, was the first to be provided with a P50,000 tricycle livelihood assistance,” Baldoz said.

“Aside from Mabunga, the nine other fatalities’ families, as well the one other worker who sustained injuries but survived the accident, were each given P50,000 worth of pertinent goods and materials to enable them to begin their proposed livelihood projects,” she added. –Philip Tubeza, Philippine Daily Inquirer