DOLE orders probe on mishap involving late actor Eddie Garcia

“It is not the DOLE that will investigate but the Occupational Safety and Health Center, executive director Noel Binag. It’s ongoing,” he said in an interview at the wake of the 90-year-old movie and television personality in Taguig City. (File Photo By Angelo6397 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA — Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello said on Friday the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) is looking into the accident involving the late veteran actor Eddie Garcia during a filming of a television show early this month.

“It is not the DOLE that will investigate but the Occupational Safety and Health Center, executive director Noel Binag. It’s ongoing,” he said in an interview at the wake of the 90-year-old movie and television personality in Taguig City.

The DOLE chief has directed the OSHC to find out if there is compliance on OSH rules and standards.

“Need bigyan value workplace ng workers, napakahalaga ‘yun(There’s a need to give value workplace of workers, that’s very important),” he said.

The former 1-BAP party-list lawmaker said he sponsored a resolution in Congress to recognize Garcia in 2015.

“I sponsored a resolution recognizing the work of Eddie Garcia as a reputable movie actor. He’s one actor who’s very famous, was never involved in any scandal unlike some. He was given recognition by Congress,” he added.

On June 8, Garcia was shooting a scene for TV series in Tondo, Manila when he reportedly tripped on cable wires, causing him to fall.

He was in a coma for nearly two weeks and died on June 20.

The television network said it is investigating the absence of a medical team when the accident happened.

In 2018, President Duterte signed the OSH Law, which ensures a safe and healthful workplace for workers by affording them full protection against all hazards at work.

The law provides that any person who manages, controls, or supervises the work is compelled to ensure that the place of employment is safe for workers, and should be free from hazardous conditions likely to cause death, illness, or physical harm to workers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Standards was formulated in 1978 and was revised in 1989.

It was created in compliance with the constitutional mandate to safeguard the worker’s social and economic well-being as well as his physical safety and health.