A CEBU-BASED business process outsourcing (BPO) firm has to temporarily cease operation as the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE 7) issued a work stoppage order for allegedly exposing workers to “imminent danger” amid unsafe conditions in its workplace, days after the September 30 earthquake.
Another BPO firm, in a separate notice of conference, has to explain and correct identified safety deficiencies.
The BPO company ordered to halt operations was found to have committed multiple violations under Department Order (DO) 252, Series of 2025, including:
1. Absence of an Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan under its Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Program, particularly for natural calamities like earthquakes;
2. A Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Control (Hirac) system that did not cover earthquake-related risks;
3. Inconsistencies in the composition and operation of its Safety and Health Committee;
4. Lack of a Construction Safety and Health Program for ongoing fit-out construction in one of its occupied floors.
DOLE 7 Director Roy Buenafe, in an advisory, said these were part of the agency’s ongoing investigations and inspections against BPO firms that allegedly failed to ensure the structural and occupational safety of their employees.
“This is just the initial shot. More and more vigorous inspections will happen onward,” said Buenafe in a statement on Sunday, October 5, 2025.
The agency explained that these deficiencies indicate “the respondent’s laxity in implementing Safety and Health Rules within the worksite,” and exposing workers to danger.
Under the order, the company must cease operations until all unsafe acts and conditions are corrected. If it fails to comply, it faces daily penalties of up to P100,000, as stipulated under Section 42 of DO 252-2025.
The directive also reminded employers that under Section 38 of the same Department Order, employees affected by a work stoppage due to the employer’s violation must still receive their regular wages during the suspension period.
If possible, workers may be temporarily reassigned or allowed to adopt alternative or flexible work arrangements, provided that their new workspaces are safe.
DOLE 7 urged the building administrator of the affected BPO firm to secure clearance from the Office of the Building Official (OBO) or other government authorities certifying that the premises are structurally sound.
Complaint
A BPO workers’ representative filed on Thursday, October 2, a complaint against 10 BPO firms that allegedly forced them to stay at work or return to their stations immediately after the earthquake.
The complainant, BPO Industry Employees Network (Bien)-Cebu, said these firms allegedly had labor and safety violations during and after the earthquake.
Some workers were: (1) Forced to return to production floors even when exits were blocked; (2) offered double pay to continue working despite safety risks; (3) ordered to resume operations just 30 minutes after the tremor without structural clearance; (4) threatened with job loss or NTEs for leaving work; (5) penalized with pay cuts or suspension for absences the next day; and (6) denied medical aid or psychological debriefing after the incident.
One case involved a pregnant worker who left unaided to descend several flights of stairs during evacuation.
Bien-Cebu called on DOLE 7 to enforce accountability not only on employers but also building administrators and account managers who allegedly pushed operations despite aftershocks.
On Friday, October 3, Buenafe confirmed to SunStar Cebu that four BPO firms were under investigation, while Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña has since convened talks with BPO companies, labor groups, and property managers to review disaster risk protocols and building safety standards after receiving the complaints. (EHP)