DOLE partially lifts ban on Skyway construction work
Metro Manila – The Department of Labor and Employment on Tuesday partially lifted its order to stop construction work in the entire Skyway extension project and is now prohibiting activities only in the area affected by an earlier accident.
Construction activities remain banned at the portion of the ongoing project along East Service Road in Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City where a steel bar crashed onto passing vehicles last Saturday, leaving one motorist dead and six others injured.
On Monday, DOLE’s Metro Manila office ordered Skyway contractor EEI Corporation to halt construction activity in this area.
It later issued a supplemental order to cover the entire Skyway extension project located at Sucat-Alabang Viaduct. This has been withdrawn by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III’s latest order, which he said should be without prejudice to the ongoing probe.
DOLE cited EEI Corporation’s letter explaining that the incident was an isolated case amid strict safety protocols, and committing to determine the exact cause of the incident.
EEI Corporation also stressed that an immediate stoppage “would present further risk and additional peril on the workers,” DOLE said.
“In this regard, this Office recognizes the utmost national importance underlying the said Skyway extension project,” the DOLE order read.
“Equally acknowledged is the fact that the suspension of said project in the unaffected areas will cause prejudice to the employees assigned/deployed thereat whose livelihood heavily depends on the said project’s continued operation,” it added.
San Miguel Corporation President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang has apologized to the victims and promised a thorough probe into the matter.
“In a project of this magnitude and scale, there are many redundant safety measures in place. Unfortunately, we can’t predict every outcome, and I’m sure no one wanted this to happen,” Ang said in a statement.
“Regardless, we are working with authorities to determine the root cause of this incident. We will find out where lapses occurred and do whatever is necessary to help make sure they don’t happen again,” he added.
SMC said the incident delays the completion of the Skyway Stage 3 project, which was initially in December. The new target is by February 2021.
Source: CNN Philippines