By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star), Feb 12, 2017
MANILA, Philippines – A directive of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) delegating the inspection of establishments in special economic zones may be revoked.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III made the announcement on Friday as the DOLE starts its own investigation into a fire that gutted a factory of the House Technology Industries Ltd. (HTI) at the Cavite Export Processing Zone in General Trias City in Cavite last week. Two of more than a hundred workers who were injured had died.
Bello was referring to DOLE Order 131 allowing establishments under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to “voluntarily” undergo labor inspection.
“We will review and possibly revoke that order. It is the duty of the department to ensure occupational safety. It cannot be waived,” he said.
Bello also cited a memorandum of agreement between DOLE and PEZA delegating technical safety inspection.
He said companies in ecozones should not be exempted from inspection by DOLE.
“It is incumbent on the department to make sure that companies comply with occupational safety and health standards,” he said.
Bello ordered a parallel probe into the fire that hit HTI to determine if the firm complied with occupational safety and health standards as well as related rules and regulations.
He issued Administrative Order 32 creating an investigating panel led by DOLE undersecretary Joel Maglunsod.
The heads of the DOLE office in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Occupational Safety and Health Center as well as the Bureaus of Working Conditions, Local Employment and Workers with Special Concerns are the other members of the panel.
The panel is tasked to come up with a comprehensive report of its investigation on Feb. 17.
HTI, a manufacturing firm, has 10,892 workers.
July 2025
Nutrition Month
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Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
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July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
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Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
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Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
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National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
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