Groups urge firms to take better care of workers’ health #Burnout

WITH BURNOUT NOW CLASSIFIED AS A MEDICAL CONDITION

INQUIRER.net stock photo

MANILA, Philippines — Labor groups urged employers on Tuesday to see past their profit margins and look after the well-being of their workers, especially now that the World Health Organization (WHO) had already considered burnout due to work as a legitimate medical condition.

But the vice president of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW), Julius Cainglet, admitted that employers might find it hard at first to provide for their workers’ health needs.

“This is a big challenge since a lot of employers find it difficult to comply with existing basic standards such as having enough doctors and nurses depending on the firm’s size and having full-time safety officers. The occupational safety and health culture really have to change,” Cainglet said.

On Monday, the WHO included burnout in its International Classification of Diseases, which is widely used to make a diagnosis on patients. It defined burnout as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

READ: WHO recognizes burnout as medical condition

The syndrome is characterized by “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.”

The WHO stressed, however, that this condition was specific to the occupational setting and “should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”

In the Philippines, for example, Cainglet said burnout was most common among call center employees, who deal with irate customers, and manufacturing workers, who try to meet their quotas.

Welcome development

The Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa hailed as a welcome development the classification of burnout as a medical condition, especially since this has long been shrugged off by employers “who can’t see beyond their profit margins.”

Josua Mata, Sentro secretary general, said that, apart from improving the occupational safety and health program in the workplace, the best way to address burnout is for Congress to pass the proposed security of tenure law.

“After all, what could be more stressful than worrying about being unemployed due to lack of job security?” Mata said.

For the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), the WHO classification brings to light the need for employers to provide their workers not only with recreational activities but also treat them to routine paid rest.

To better protect workers, ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to come up with guidelines on how to treat employees who would report feeling burned out.

The Bureau of Working Conditions of the DOLE noted though that the condition as a psychosocial concern could already be addressed in the occupational safety and health standards law as well as by the mental health law. - By: Jovic Yee - Reporter / @jovicyeeINQ (Editor: Alexander T. Magno)

It’s ‘abuse’ to prevent workers’ evacuation during earthquake – labor group

TUCP says it received complaints from call center workers who were not allowed to evacuate and were told to continue working after a magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit Luzon on Monday

EVACUATE. Shoppers seen rushing outside as they evacuate the Robinson Place Manila mall following an earthquake that hit Luzon on April 22, 2019. Photo by Inoue Jaena/Rappler 

MANILA, Philippines – Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) hit employers who refused to let workers evacuate from buildings when a magnitude 6.1 earthquake rocked Luzon on Monday, April 22, and then made them resume work right after, without waiting for the structural integrity of the buildings to be checked.

TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said the group received several reports from employees about managers, supervisors, and employers who did not practice safety precautions as workers were made to remain indoors during the earthquake.

He said some employees were also ordered to keep working “despite of the dangers and hazards on the workplace caused by the quake.”

“This company practice or policy is a form of abuse and it must be condemned because it imperils the lives of their employees and jeopardizes the safety and health of workers,” Mendoza said on Tuesday, April 23.

TUCP did not name the companies where workers were supposedly prevented from evacuating. However, TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said they received complaints from workers in call centers and the business process outsourcing industry.

After the strong earthquake in Luzon was felt at 5:11 pm on Monday, evacuations of government offices, private offices, schools, and buildings were conducted as a precautionary measure.

In the event of an earthquake, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recommends that people find a safe exit and move to an open area that's far away from trees, power lines, posts, and concrete structures.

Safety first always

Mendoza reminded employers and business owners that it is their responsibility to put safety first and ensure their employees are kept safe and secure during workplace disasters, earthquakes, and fires, among others.

Employers, he said, should check on buildings and workplaces for possible damage caused by tremors during the earthquake to prevent future accidents from occurring.
“It is possible that the damage may not be immediately obvious, but it already impacted the integrity of the workplace structure and may cause irreparable damage upon aftershocks and future earthquakes,” Mendoza said.

The group reminded employees that under Republic Act 11058 or An Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards, workers have the right to refuse work if the workplace is unsafe.

The law says workers may do so, without threat from their employer.

“If workers were forced to work despite of the notice of unsafe workplace, employers, contractors and business-owners are administratively liable,” Mendoza said.

Under RA 11058, employers, contractors, sub-contractors, or work supervisors who violate this law, will have to pay a fine of P100,000 for every day that a violation is not remedied, counting from the day the employer is notified or the compliance order is issued by the Department of Labor and Employment.

Past noon on Tuesday, April 23, a stronger earthquake – with a magnitude of 6.5 – struck parts of the Visayas. – Rappler.com

DoLE’s move to review high-heel policy lauded

A labor group on Sunday lauded the pronouncement of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) that it is now considering regulating the mandatory wearing of high-heeled footwear in workplaces.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) said the proposal is a significant step for the government towards improving the working condition of workers, who are required to wear high heels by their management.

“The ALU-TUCP commends the swift action made by DoLE on a request made by salesladies to do away with the wearing of high heel shoe because it causes pain and exposes them to the risk of sliding, falling, and tripping off,” ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said in a statement.

ALU-TUCP is against the mandatory wearing of high heels due to its supposed negative effects to the posture of its users.

“Most of these salesladies have been enduring the pain and the risks caused by wearing high heels shoes for the entire period of the shift for many years because they will be fired whenever they complain against it,” Tanjusay said.

Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he has already created a technical working group to conduct a study and stake holder consultation to craft a new policy that will regulate the use of high heels.

Tanjusay said they will continue to monitor the developments on Bello’s proposal.

“ALU-TUCP envision a policy that cover not only salesladies but promodizers in supermarkets, waitresses, hotel and restaurant receptionists, flight attendants and lady security guard,” Tanjusay said. - By: Samuel Medenilla / Tempo

Labor task force to meet ​on ​rest periods to mall employees

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (davaotoday.com)

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the labor department is coming up with an administrative order to direct all business establishment to grant rest periods for salesgirls including male employees.

In an interview at the sidelines of the opening of the One-Stop Service Center for Overseas Filipino Workers in Gaisano Mall here Friday, Bello said the technical working group will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 15 to come up with a recommendation which will be the basis of the order.

“During their period of working they should be allowed rest time. Pumunta ka dun sa SM, walang saleslady na nakaupo, puro nakatindig yan. So hindi lang alisin yung requirement of high heels, we should also allow our salesgirls and security guards and other male workers some rest time,” Bello said.

He said in a span of an hour salesgirls or personnel who are commonly required to stand for a long period of time during their duty should be given “five to 10 minutes rest time” every hour.

“Depende kung gusto nila palabasin muna yung workers kung san sila pwede magrest ang importante allow them some period of resting (It depends on employers whether they want to allow the workers to go out to where they could rest, the important thing is they will be given some period of resting),” Bello said.

Meanwhile, the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) lauded DOLE for acting swiftly on the concerns of the salesladies.

Bello on Thursday ordered the DOLE’s Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), the Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) and the Bureau of Special Working Concerns (BSWC) to come up immediately with a policy in view of an occupational safety and health hazards faced by salesladies in wearing high-heel shoes and giving rest periods to both male and female security guards and salespersons.

ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the most of the workers were employed as short-term contractual employees.

“Most of these salesladies have been enduring the pain and the risks caused by wearing high heels shoes for the entire period of the shift for many years because they will be fired whenever they complain against it. Apart from having no security of tenure, they have no union to help them improve their plight,” Tanjusay said.

The ALU-TUCP last week urged the DOLE to draft a policy forbidding employers nationwide from requiring women employees to wear high heel shoes at work because it poses danger to their safety and health in the absence of a government regulation.

Tanjusay said the ALU-TUCP envision a policy that cover not only salesladies but promodizers in supermarkets, waitresses, hotel and restaurant receptionists, flight attendants and lady security guards. - ZEA IO MING C. CAPISTRANO (davaotoday.com)

Collapsed high-rise floor kills 2

Accident site. This is an artist’s drawing of the 63-story Suites Presidential Tower on 5th Avenue and 28th Street in the Fort Bonifacio Global City where two workers were killed when one of its floors collapsed.

ONE floor of a 63-story residential tower under construction in the upscale Bonifacio Global City collapsed on Wednesday, killing two construction workers and injuring 11 others.

Nine of those injured were taken to the St. Luke’s Medical Center while the other two were brought to the Ospital ng Makati.

Most of the victims suffered arm, shoulder and back injuries.

It was not immediately clear what caused the floor at The Suites Residential Tower to collapse around 8:15 am, but there were claims the incident happened while cement was being poured into the floor.

“I had just left the building when it collapsed,” construction worker Edwin Suarez said.

Taguig City police chief Arthur Felix Asis said his men were now investigating the construction on 5th Avenue and 28th Street.

Based on its project profile, the single-tower residential building, owned by Ayala Land Premier, will consist of 284 residential suites and limited- edition Sky Collections rendered in two- to four-bedroom configurations.

The project will also feature Triple-A-grade office building and is intended to be home to top local and multinational companies. The Suites is right beside the new Hotel Shangri-La, Mind Museum, and the Unified Philippine Stock Exchange.

In a statement, Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. said it will provide assistance to the victims.

“The Bureau of Fire Protection of Taguig City is currently undertaking search and rescue operations,” the company said.

“We are still awaiting the official report on the number of casualties and currently investigating the cause of the incident. Rest assured that, together with MDC and Fastem, we will assist the families of the workers.”

The Department of Labor and Employment assured the families of the two workers who died and the others who were hurt of financial assistance and to hold the people accountable for the incident.

But the labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa blamed the Labor Department and local officials in the city for the incident. - By Joel E. ZurbanoWith Vito Barcelo

Taguig building collapses, 2 dead

CRUSHED Rescuers retrieve one of the bodies of two workers who died. Eleven workers were also injured in the incident. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa) has blamed the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) for the collapse of a building at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City (Metro Manila) that killed two construction workers and injured 11 others yesterday.

The Bureau of Fire Protection identified the dead as Ruben Racraquiam and Renato dela Cruz.
They were crushed by debris from the collapsed portion of The Suite Hotel, located on 5th Avenue and 28th Street. The hotel is under construction.

Taken to the St Luke’s Hospital Global City were Sandy Vargas, Jaymar Carberta, Regan Labmutin, Larry Magguray, Wendil Behim, Aldrin Gahuman, Roberto Lorca, Darwin Avara, Bernard Tugade, Jonathan Agoso and Delinger Abara.

DOLE representatives and building inspectors from the Taguig city government are conducting separate investigations, to determine liability of the contractors.

But the TUCP said the accident could have been prevented if inspections were conducted regularly before and after construction permits were issued.

“It was obvious that authorities overseeing building construction were napping,” Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson for TUCP, said.

He added that government officials must ensure that building owners and contractors are aware of rules and protocols in the construction of high-rise buildings. Tanjusay said building owners and contractors must also comply with the DOLE Rule 1414 on Scaffoldings of the 1989 Occupational Health and Safety Standards, which put the responsibility of the erection, installation and dismantling of scaffolds to a highly trained competent person called scaffold erector. - By Fernan Marasigan/Manila Times

2 dead, 11 hurt after portion of BGC building collapses

ACCIDENT. A portion of The Suite collapses. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

Based on initial reports, part of the building collapsed while concrete was being poured on the upper floors, say authorities

MANILA, Philippines  – Two people were killed and 11 others were injured after a portion of a building under construction in Taguig City collapsed on Wednesday, February 4, reports said.

Taguig City fire marshal chief Inspector Juanito Maslang said that the two workers died after being crushed by debris from the collapsed portion of The Suite building, currently under construction at the corner of 5th Avenue and 28th Street at Bonifacio Global City.

The incident occurred around 8:20 am.

Maslang said that authorities from national agencies and the city government are now on site to check for possible safety lapses and violations.

The 63-residential tower is a project of Ayala Land Premier.

It will consist of 284 residential suites and is intended to be a mixed-use development, with space for local and multinational companies, according to its project profile.

Based on initial police reports, part of the building collapsed while concrete was being poured on the upper floors.

Police are currently conducting investigations at the construction site.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa blamed the Department of Labor and Employment and the Taguig City government for not ensuring incidents like this would be avoided.

"This workplace incident could have been minimized and prevented if they only performed their job particularly in conducting inspections regularly before and after issuing building and construction permits," Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson of TUCP, said in a statement.

"Government officials must ensure that building owners and contractors are aware of the rules and protocols in the construction of high-rise buildings particularly the DOLE’s Department Order 13 requirement checklist before issuing any permit," he said.

The requirements include construction safety and health programs, personal protective equipment, safety personnel, emergency occupational safety and health personnel and facilities, construction safety signages, safety on construction heavy equipment, construction safety and health committee, safety and health information, construction safety and health training, construction safety and health reports, and workers’ welfare facilities, TUCP said. – Rappler.com

TUCP blames DOLE for Taguig worksite mishap

Another construction site accident happened in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, killing two workers and injuring several others.

MANILA, Philippines - Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa) on Wednesday blamed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the accident at a construction site in Taguig City, which resulted to the deaths of two workers.

Several others were also injured after the scaffoldings collapsed at the construction site of The Suites Hotel at the Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City.

"Officials of the Department of Labor and Employment and the Taguig City officials are obviously sleeping on the job. This workplace incident could have been minimized and prevented if they only performed their job particularly in conducting inspections regularly before and after issuing building and construction permits.

"Halatang halata na natutulog sa pansitan ang mga tao tagapag-patupad ng mga batas at alintuntunin sa construction," said Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson of TUCP and policy advocacy officer of the Associated Labor Unions, the largest labor federation in the country.

He said that government officials must ensure that building owners and contractors are aware of the rules and protocols in the construction of high-rise buildings particularly the DOLE's Order 13 requirement checklist before issuing any permit.

These measures include the construction safety and health programs, personal protective equipment, safety personnel, emergency occupational safety and health personnel and facilities among others.

Tanjusay said building owners and contractors must also comply with the DOLE Rule 1414 on Scaffoldings of the 1989 Occupational Health and Safety Standards which put the responsibility of the erection, installation and dismantling of scaffolds to a highly trained competent person called scaffold erector.

The erector is certified by the Technical Skills Development Authority and employed by every project managers and owners of any construction projects.

The rules now requires workers on scaffoldings to be provided with fall arrest, fall protection and fall restrain harnesses to protect workers in the event of accidents and limits the use of bamboo scaffolds to painting and light construction work setting the maximum height allowed at six meters, Tanjusay added.

Tanjusay said the rules also require the materials used as scaffolds are quality tested by Department of Trade and Industry accredited testing institutions and not intermixed with other scaffolds materials in installing scaffoldings. - By Dennis Carcamo (philstar.com)

Negligence, child labor seen in Bulacan warehouse accident

The labor department is pursuing the responsible firms: Hoclim Co Construction Corporation and its client Number One Golden Dragon Realty Corporation, with addresses in Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines – Two firms behind the construction of a Bulacan warehouse, whose partial collapse claimed 12 lives including 2 minors and a pregnant woman, "could be liable" of negligence and child labor, a state probe found.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued a cease-and-desist (CD) order against the warehouse's construction firm, said DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Wednesday, January 21.

Filipino rescuer workers search for possibly trapped bodies in a collapsed warehouse building in the Guiguinto town, Bulacan province, north of Manila, Philippines, 19 January 2015. Eleven people, including a pregnant women, were reportedly killed and four others injured when the wall of a warehouse collapsed, police said. EPA/RITCHIE B. TONGO

The right wall of the warehouse in Ilang-Ilang villlage in Guiguinto town fell over workers' quarters on Monday, January 19.

A 14-year-old and a 7-year-old are among the 12 dead in the accident, with the former found out to be employed by the construction firm.

The firm Hoclim Co Construction Corporation and its client Number One Golden Dragon Realty Corporation – both with office addresses in Quezon City – also operated without a permit, the investigation found.

They have yet to appear and own up to their obligations, and have no response teams, no supervising personnel like engineers and safety officers in charge of construction work, DOLE alleged.

They "shall be held jointly and solidarily for all the violations related to the health and safety and the welfare of the victims," the DOLE statement read further.

Baldoz urged Congress to enact a law with heavy penalties for violators of the country’s health and safety laws, as the Labor Code does not provide criminal penalty for such non-compliance with some safety and health regulations.

Compensation demanded

Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) blamed contractual employment schemes for the incident. They said these kinds of setup allow "contractors like the Golden Dragon to subject their workers to hazardous working conditions."

For allowing such schemes, the government's action is tantamount to a "criminal neglect" of workers' health and safety," the group claimed.

"Contractualization removes the employer-employee relationship between labor contractors and their workers hence freeing them of any obligations to abide by the health and safety standards and worse, frees them of any liability in case such tragic accidents happen," KMU's statement read.

"It has always been a profiteering scheme for these construction contractors to disregard workers’ safety to maximize profits," the group warned.

Baldoz ordered DOLE Metro Manila Director Alex Avila to locate the two companies involved, and DOLE Regional Director Ana Dione to ensure that these companies pay their employees' monetary and social benefits.

The companies have been required to show proof of financial assistance to the victims’ families and of payment of salaries and remittances for Social Security System, PhilHealth, and PagIBIG contributions.

Gerard Seno, executive vice president of labor federation Associated Labor Unions-TUCP, pushed for separate charges to be filed if the companies failed to provide workers' benefits. – Buena Bernal / Rappler.com

TUCP: Warehouse owner, contractor liable for Bulacan mishap

MANILA, Philippines - Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)-Nagkaisa on Tuesday called on the government to hold the building owner and the project contractor liable for the death of 12 construction workers and the injury of several others when a wall collapsed on them Monday afternoon in Bulacan.

"Both the project owner and the project contractor are both liable for the deaths of the victims. This accident can be prevented, if not minimized, if these two are faithfully performing their duties and responsibilities in accordance with the occupational safety and health regulations and standards.

"There must be some kind of negligence on the safety regulations and standards that lead to the deaths and so they must be made answerable," Gerard Seno, executive vice president of the Associated Labor Unions-TUCP, said.

Seno said that by now, he expects the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office is conducting a probe on the incident after ceasing work at the project site to prevent.

Government regulation requires project owners and contractors in all types of constructions work to have a construction safety and health program, ensure all workers have personal protective equipment, project safety personnel, emergency occupational health personnel and facilities, construction safety signages, construction safety and health committee, and workers' welfare facilities.

Seno noted that a separate charge must be slapped if the project owner and contractor also fail to comply with their obligations to pay the lawful regional wage including social protection benefits such as Social Security System, PhilHealth, Pag-ibig.

There is also a need for DOLE if the city or municipal engineer office inspected the project site for compliance on workplace safety standards before issuing the building permit and respond to reports the materials used are of poor quality, Seno said. - By Dennis Carcamo (philstar.com) |

Wall collapses in Bulacan; 11 dead

GUIGUINTO, Bulacan (Updated) – Eleven people were killed and four others were seriously injured when a wall of a warehouse building along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Ilang-Ilang collapsed.

Bulacan Police chief Ferdinand Divina identified the fatalities as Nestor Maiton, Jonathan Sagayap, Cinto Nayanga, Rodolfo Nayanga, Jerald Nayanga, Joseph Bellones, Arnel Cardaño, Agnes Tan-Santos and Arnold Humawan all workers on the site and two minors.

Television and radio reports said the incident took place around 3:30 p.m. when a wall of a warehouse owned by certain Dante Chua collapsed, pinning down the barracks of the workers.

The victims were immediately brought to the nearest hospital.

Guiguinto municipal administrator Edilberto Cruz said they were looking at three factors which may have caused the incident.

"First is mukhang substandard ang mga ginamit na materyales sa pagtayo nung building tapos we experienced earthquake here two weeks ago and during the past two days maulan so may tendency na lumambot ang lupa," the official said.



Reports have it that the steel bars used in the collapsed wall were substandard.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), for its part, sees negligence on the part of the owner and contractor.

“There must be some kind of negligence on the safety regulations and standards that led to the deaths,” TUCP executive vice president Gerard Seno.

He said government regulation requires project owners and contractors in all types of constructions work to have a construction safety and health program, ensure all workers have personal protective equipment, project safety personnel, emergency occupational health personnel and facilities, construction safety signages, construction safety and health committee and workers’ welfare facilities.

“This accident can be prevented, if not minimized, if these two are faithfully performing their duties and responsibilities in accordance with the occupational safety and health regulations and standards,” said Seno.

Cruz said the owner of the building identified as Dante Chua was "nowhere to be found."(with PNA/HDT/Sunnex- By Third Anne Peralta/ SunStar

Env’l groups, trade unionists join forces vs. lead-based paint

Marking the anniversary of a historic global convention, environmentalists and trade unionists joined forces for the protection of workers, children, and the general public against exposure to lead-based paint.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, and the EcoWaste Coalition forged the tie-up during the recent 91st anniversary of an International Labor Organization (ILO) convention banning the use of white lead in paint.

Convention C013, or the “White Lead (Painting) Convention,” is a historic act by the ILO during the time of the League of Nations (the precursor to the United Nations or UN), aiming to control lead levels in paint used in interior housing. It was enforced on Aug. 31, 1923.

It prohibits “the use of white lead and sulfate of lead and of all products containing these pigments, in the internal painting of buildings,” but makes it permissible “to use white pigments containing a maximum of two percent of lead.”

“ILO’s early recognition of the problem with toxic lead in paint was a commendable move indeed. Their effort resulted [in] a number of countries adopting restrictions on the lead content of paint. As [this anniversary] is quietly observed, we find it fitting to call for a review of the landmark agreement for it to be in step with the global consensus to eliminate lead paint that is being advanced by the UN-backed Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (GAELP),” EcoWaste Coalition coordinator Aileen Lucero said.

The World Health Organization and the UN Environment Program serve as joint Secretariat for the GAELP, whose purpose is “to prevent children’s exposure to lead via paint containing lead, and to minimize occupational exposures to lead in paint.”

Nagkaisa co-convenor Josua Mata urged the government to take the necessary action to gain the benefits of the review process initiated by the ILO’s governing board.

“It’s been over nine decades since C013 [came] into force, and lead poisoning via exposure to lead contaminated paint chips, dust, as well as products such as toys remains a huge threat for the health of children and workers in many countries,” ALU-TUCP Spokesman and Policy Advocacy Officer Allan Tanjusay said.

According to labor and environmental groups, C013 has to be updated to make it applicable to all lead pigments and dryers, ready-to-use paint, and exterior applications.

They also insisted that the two-percent limit — equivalent to 20,000 parts per million (ppm) — has to be radically lowered to mirror current knowledge of the health effects of lead exposure even at lower levels.
An updated C013 will be a boost to the recently promulgated “Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds” (CCO) issued by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources last December 2013, the groups said.

The CCO limits lead content in paints to 90 ppm, and establishes a three-year phase out period for leaded decorative paints (2013-2016), and a six-year phase out period for leaded industrial paints (2013-2019).

Seventy-six percent of the 803 paint samples from the Philippines and six other Asian countries contained lead at concentrations greater than 90 ppm, and would not be permitted for sale in most highly industrialized countries, according to data from the Asia Regional Paint Report published last March 2014 by the International Persistent Organic Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), with support from the European Union.

The report also revealed that at least a quarter of the 803 paint samples contained dangerously high lead levels of above 10,000 ppm. – by Chito A. Chavez / Manila Bulletin