Spa owners want House probe into DOH training

CEBU, Philippines - Some spa and wellness operators in Cebu are calling for a congressional inquiry into the controversial massage therapy training required by the Department of Health.

The request was coursed through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-7, said Art Barrit, spokesman of the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), who sits as TESDA board member representing the labor sector.

“I received a lot of requests from different operators of spa calling for a meeting and they requested us to bring this matter to our partylist representative of TUCP, Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza, to conduct congressional inquiry regarding the implementation of this program,” said Barrit during the 888 News Forum at Marco Polo Plaza yesterday.

Barrit was reacting to the report of Consul Robert Lim Joseph that non-accredited masseurs in Boracay Island were already apprehended and made to pay P2,500 fine.

“They are criminalizing these masseurs and they would have to pay P2,500. What will happen to the cost of massage in the wellness program for the Philippines? This will happen here in Cebu and in Manila,” Joseph said.

Operator of Ton Ton Thai Massage chain, Joseph is the secretary general of the Philippine Organization of Wellness Establishments and Resources.

“Kulang na nga ng trabaho, nabigyan na ng TESDA, here is another agency which says they cannot work. It is against the poor,” said Joseph.

Barrit pointed out that TESDA, rather than DOH, even has a stringent rule regarding the operationalization of “hilot” wellness massage.

Prior to the conduct of congressional inquiry, Barrit said he will ask TESDA to have a forum for massage operators to register their opposition to the directive of DOH.

Joseph already has filed a complaint before the House of Representatives over DOH’s inaction to calls to lower exorbitant fees for the said training, which is not in compliance with the international standard for massage therapy training.

He said they sent letters to DOH asking for a meeting to settle the matter but they were ignored by the government agency.

Joseph further said DOH and its 16 accredited training centers all over the country should be investigated over an alleged money-making scheme.

He said those who took the exams had to attend the seminar and each paid P10,000 aside from the examination fee. — By Gregg M. Rubio/NSA (The Freeman)

11 killed in collapse of Bulacan warehouse

GUIGUINTO, Bulacan—Eleven people and an unborn child were killed here after the wall of a warehouse under construction collapsed on Monday afternoon, leaving at least four others injured.

Supt. Ernesto Cruz, Guiguinto police chief, told reporters “if the life of the unborn child is included, a total of 12 lives were lost in the accident.”

In his report submitted Senior Supt. Ferdinand Divina, provincial police director, the fatalities were laborers Jerald Nayanga, Nestor Maiton, Arnel Cardaño, Arnold Humawan and Edmund Bernabe, 14, of Kalayaan, Bagong Silang, Caloocan City along with masons Jonathan Sagayap, Cinto Nayanga, Rodolfo Nayanga and Joseph Bellones; Dave Avelino,7; and Agnes Tan-Santos, who was 4-months pregnant.

Cruz said the injured were masons Randy Bucayo and Junny Galela; mason Marlon Andaya; and timekeeper, Edmar Bernabe, 21.

“The workers were doing some finishing jobs on the walls and the others were missing sand and cement when the wall collapsed on them. The shanty where the pregnant woman and the child was hit killing them also,” Divina said.

He said the wall--20 feet high at least 25 to 30 feet wide—was being put up around 3:30 p.m. by workers of Hoclimco Construction Corp. on a former ricefield in Barangay Ilang-Ilang along McArthur Highway

Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio Cruz confirmed that the owner, Number One Golden Dragon Realty Corp. and the contractors were shouldering the burial and medical expenses of the victims.

Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado has ordered the construction stopped with instructions to Provincial Engineer Glen Reyes ensure projects followed the National Building Code.

Provincial Director Zorina Aldana of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has taken samples construction materials for inspection.

“Contractors and builders should know that steel bars are also passing under the quality control and product standard test of DTI,” she said.

Department of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz directed the DoLE region 3 to see if the company has complied with safety rules and regulations.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said that both the project owner and the project contractor were liable for the loss of lives.

“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 Gerard Seno, executive vice president of the Associated Labor Unions-TUCP.

He said a separate charge must be filed for failure to pay the lawful regional wage including social protection benefits such as Social Security System, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG. - By Josephine Marianne Querubin Ignacio, With Florante Solmerin, Vito Barcelo / Manila Standard Today

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