The Federation of Free Workers is calling for immediate action from the Department of Labor and Employment following the destruction caused by Typhoon Uwan. Federation president Atty. Sonny Matula has urged the agency to launch comprehensive workplace inspections in flood-affected areas to ensure compliance with occupational safety and labor standards.
Immediate Risks Demand Proactive Measures
According to the FFW, flooding and contamination from recent storms have created dangerous working conditions across multiple industries. Factories, plants, and warehouses now face increased risks of electrocution, exposure to hazardous materials, and disease outbreaks that could endanger workers' lives.
Matula emphasized that while relief goods provide essential support to families, proper workplace inspections can save lives. "Inspection becomes a matter of life and dignity when floods destroy homes and shut down factories," he stated, highlighting the urgent need for worker protection beyond emergency relief.
Legal Mandate for Action
The timing of this call coincides with the official implementation of ILO Convention 81 on Labor Inspection in the Philippines this November 2025. The international convention received Senate concurrence earlier this year, giving Dole both the authority and responsibility to conduct inspections on its own initiative.
Matula referenced Article 128 of the Labor Code, which empowers Dole regional offices to proactively inspect worksites for occupational safety and health compliance. The federation insists these inspections should also verify proper wage payments during temporary shutdowns and rebuilding periods.
Inspection as Opportunity, Not Intimidation
The FFW proposes a constructive approach to post-typhoon inspections that focuses on assistance rather than punishment. "Inspection is not a burden to employers or only about enforcement," Matula explained. Instead, it presents an opportunity to provide technical support to micro, small, and medium enterprises struggling with compliance.
The recommended inspection framework includes:
- On-site OSH mentoring and practical guidance
- Simple compliance checklists for easy implementation
- Staggered timelines for feasible corrections
- Referrals to specialized agencies for training
"Help them comply, then hold them to it" represents the federation's philosophy for keeping both small businesses operational and workers safe during recovery efforts.
Learning from Past Tragedies
The FFW invoked the memory of the Kentex 72 tragedy in 2015, where multiple workers perished due to inadequate safety inspections. Locked gates, unsafe conditions, and systemic neglect contributed to the disaster that the federation insists should never be repeated.
"Inspection must be preventive, not posthumous," Matula declared, calling for surprise inspections without advance warning to prevent employers from staging safety measures temporarily.
The labor leader framed workplace inspection as "social justice in action", echoing the principles championed by former President Ramon Magsaysay. He emphasized that those with less in life should have more protection under the law, with legal safeguards actively entering workplaces rather than remaining theoretical concepts.
Positive Examples and Future Collaboration
While demanding stronger enforcement, the FFW also acknowledged recent successes in labor protection. The federation praised Dole Region 4-B (Mimaropa) for regularizing more than 600 workers in Palawan who had been under labor-only contracting arrangements.
Additionally, the voluntary regularization of over 70 employees at Cirtek Electronics in Laguna demonstrated the effectiveness of bilateral negotiations between management and the United Cirtek Employees Association-FFW during the third quarter of 2025.
These examples show that both enforcement and dialogue can achieve worker protection goals. The FFW vowed to continue collaborating with Dole, employers, and worker organizations to make labor inspection a living instrument of social justice, particularly as climate-driven disasters increasingly threaten worker safety and livelihoods across the Philippines.
